


Unforgettable Silhouette 5: Paint It Black

by Yangu_Fuyu_Nemiko



Series: Shadows On The Walls [5]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Adult-life is hard, Again. All PREVIOUS US TAGS STILL APPLY, And he will swear at you in Latin if you're not careful Ironwood, And reverts to yelling in Latin, BUT DID IT TURN OUT THAT WAY SO FAR?! LOL NO., Background Arkos, Be warned and be aware please and thank you, Because seriously why are you here?, DON'T JUST PICK THIS UP AND THINK, Dad!Ozpin is Best!Ozpin, Don't @ Me I didn't know I'd cry over Clover either, Don't read this or flame this if you don't like RG, F/M, Glynda "I'm Still Recording This For Shits and Giggles" Goodwitch, Gracious use of Latin which shouldn't be IGNORED, Help I'm in Vol 7 HELL, I Can't Be Trusted To Be Left Alone With Small Children", I Yeeted Salem off this mortal coil and I tink I'm still dealing with that fact, I didn't even both putting a chapter count on this one because LOL, I haven't finished this but I was dared., I needed side characters from Vacuo leave them alone, I still blame Blooming for This., I'll update tags as I go along, I'm a teacher teaching Little Shits during a global Pandemic how do you think my life is going?, I'm sure I'm missing peple?, I...Will Probably need to introduce newer background ships at some point, If she hadn't let me loose this would have stopped five chapters into US1, Ironwood "I Am Still On Author-San's Watch List Because, JTN got married over this, Jarring Semblances is just like catching Pokemon, LOL YEAH., Like Professor "Help Me I'm Scared" Ozpin, Like US4 other characters will pop up from time to time, Lol. I can't be left alone with this story either, Marrow is a Good Boy., Nerve wracking and it makes you lean forward in your seat to watch it wobble, Oscar Still Has PTSD In Case You Were Wondering, Oscar is 110 done with everything, Oscar will one day destroy an entire building, Oscar will one day throw Silvis at someone's head for good measure, Ozpin is Best when he is a Dad?, Please be aware the Violence and Blood Level is the same as previous US stories, Please be patient with updates and chapters there is only four currently written, Please read carefully is those previous scenes were triggering or hard to read, Qrow "Touch My Children Again and You Will Die" Branwen, RWBY Ship Chat did not help me at all with new incoming ships, SO, So many people in this series are not drinking the Canon Stupid Juice, Somehow Ozpin Became A Dad, THEN had twins over this, THIS HAS SPOILERS FOR EVERYTHING IN US SO FAR?!, THIS WAS MEANT TO BE FLUFFY DAMN IT!, There will be new characters introduced later, There will be typical RWBY Violence + US!Cannon Violence + PTSD shown throughout this, There will probably be background renora, This got dark based on a review. So thanks for that., This is still RG, This is still pure Rosegarden Hell, This part of the series decided it needed TWO chapters, To Be Fair - I Was Left Alone Unsupervised, To be fair., Warning for that?, Weiss "I Regret My Life Decisions" Schnee, Winter "Get Me The Fuck Outta Here" Schnee, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS HAPPENED PREVIOUSLY, You know when I said "I Might Not Be Able To Upload In October?!", and they're DEAD!?, and those who should be Mothers, background Bumblebee, but here we are., even if the first two chapters don't look it, lol While I'm fixing my hurt from Vol3 I might as well fix my hurt from Vol7, mood., the US discord server cannot be left unsupervised, they have helped me so much in the past with this series, to be written in order for it to be introduced, what is with canon and with Mothers who shouldn't be Mothers, while writing this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:47:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 27,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26922367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yangu_Fuyu_Nemiko/pseuds/Yangu_Fuyu_Nemiko
Summary: Oscar and Ruby head back up to Atlas to shed light on some mysteries caused by Ruby’s Semblance Jar. While back in Beacon, and certainly in all Kingdoms come in the reports that people with similar abilities to Ruby have been hunted down and killed in her name. A clear warning that they’re looking for revenge. The world is getting smaller: soon there will be no place left they can’t find her. The Grimm might be the least of their worries.
Relationships: Oscar Pine/Ruby Rose
Series: Shadows On The Walls [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/896976
Comments: 52
Kudos: 42





	1. Chapter 1

/

* * *

/

_Can you hear my heartbeat? I close my eyes and tell myself that my dreams will come true. There’ll be no more darkness when you believe in yourself you are unstoppable. Where your destiny lies, you set my heart on fire. Don’t stop us now, the moment of truth: We were born to make history. We’ll make it happen; we’ll turn it around. Yes, we were born to make history. I’ve got a feeling it’s never too late: I close my eyes and see myself, how my dreams will come true.  
— [Dean Fujioka](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I7FT0PHG9E)_

_Other Music:_

_[Lisbeth Scott](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8g_bqnuOvRw) — I Was Born for This_

_[Ashley Serena& Ryan Louder](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_sR4epKtNA) — In Your Arms_

**_A/N:_** So, hi! This is what happens when I get dared. Thanks, US!Discord. This happens, and we all get to see the first chapter of US5 and we can all laugh at the fact I said I was unsure if I would have anything to post, come October.

Well, It's October. And here we are. On another Rollercoaster that this series just loves to give us, and never lets me rest.

Please be aware of all tags new and old to this series still stand, and that this current story is _not_ finished at all. It...currently has 4(?) chapters. Don't quote me. I'm not counting. Neither should you.

Art that is posted will always have permission from their original artists, be they Blooming, Ly, or elsewise. So, please don't steal or copy them or alter this story in any form onto another site. I have been working on this series since at least 2017 when I originally got my ass kicked by Volume 3.

And I got again hurt by RWBY (Volume 7!) and here we go, fixing things, _again._ Hurray for time-travel still making good choices.

Keep up to date with my progress on this series with:

[ _**Discord** _ ](https://t.co/YLi7c1sbgm?amp=1)

[ _**Twitter** _ ](https://twitter.com/RwbySilhouette)

For those who are not involved with either of those, there have been character sheets posted up for [Oscar](https://twitter.com/RwbySilhouette/status/1302754696680022017) and [Ruby](https://twitter.com/RwbySilhouette/status/1302399887565234176). For your viewing pleasure if you're having trouble visualising what they look like now, and like me, have trouble visualising Oscar as an _Adult_. He's a Big Boy Now.

/

* * *

/

Chapter 1

If Ozpin were a betting man, (which he wasn’t), he would put more lien in favour that there was something going wrong with each similar report he kept getting from Theodore.

It wasn’t as if the man was alarmed. But Ozpin could read under the red tape.

The so-called missing reports from his Huntsmen about nondescript Vacuans, both Huntsmen and Civilian alike were suddenly _gone_.

The latest, being a teenager from the city of Coquina when she didn’t show up for rollcall at Oscuro.

Ozpin had each missing report from Theodore that was in his jurisdiction up on his monitors and he felt his blood run cold.

These people had one thing in common.

Aside from the fact that he had failed to protect them.

He looked up and wasn’t surprised to see Qrow coming in.

It was just their luck, he supposed.

“Qrow.” Ozpin started.

Even he didn’t like the wary tone in his own voice.

Even Qrow flinched, and his eyes scanned the office in a second flat for dangers he might have missed when he came in.

“What’s wrong?” Qrow immediately asked.

Ozpin saw that if he could get any more worried, he would. People seemed to get worried when Ozpin used that tone.

Usually, within reason, they were right to.

“Come look at this and tell me what you see.” Ozpin asked.

Maybe he was reading too much into what he saw.

Qrow raised one eyebrow but he did come around the table.

“…What am I looking at?” Qrow asked, seeing the half dozen or so reports.

They ranged in date from over the past year and ranged from the northern beaches of Vacuo, all the way to the outskirts of Coquina.

“Theo sent in some missing person reports, in case they came our way.” Ozpin started.

He watched as Qrow leaned in to see the people who had vanished more clearly on the monitor.

“They haven’t been seen since,” Ozpin prompted. “There’s no Scroll activity and no sightings. One isn’t even a missing person anymore, the first one,” Ozpin pointed to the one who had hailed from the beaches. “Turned up yesterday…” Ozpin said.

He didn’t need to say they turned up _dead_.

Qrow was still staring. “Then this isn’t a missing person trail…” Qrow breathed.

It was a trail of _dead bodies_.

Ozpin turned his head to look at Qrow. “Tell me I’m wrong.” He asked hopefully.

Qrow frowned. “What do you see?” He asked.

“You don’t?” Ozpin almost wished.

Because if he was right…

She wouldn’t be _safe_.

Not anywhere.

Ozpin only felt dread when Qrow’s eyes widened.

“They all have…!” He near screeched in alarm as he backed away from the monitors fearfully.

He was right. And he wasn’t proud of it. _At all_.

Someone had done a better job of finding them than he had.

No, someone had found them, before he could and _murdered_ them for it.

It was a clear message from those who had orchestrated each murder: it wasn’t based on race, since the third was a Faunus.

It was based on one single trait they all had in common.

And from the locations. Vale was their next target.

“Silver Eyes…” Qrow ended up muttering in stark fear.

Having it confirmed made Ozpin stand up quickly, punching down one button on the table that cut out the audio in the room, then immediately went for his tablet just as quickly as it started to ring.

“Glynda!” He ordered as soon as the line connected.

“ _On my way, sir._ ” Glynda immediately said before she dropped the connection herself.

She didn’t even question. Maybe he sounded fearful.

He _felt_ fearful.

None of them were one of his Rose’s, but still… _Still_!

They were all _children_. They were all still people marked for death. And he feared the reason.

He wasn’t reading too much into it.

He was right. _And he hated it_.

“Oz…?” Qrow called.

Ozpin pinched his brow.

Not knowing there were that many Silver-Eyed Warriors left still, didn’t make him any less guilty by association.

He should have _known_ there would be remnants of the old order, or even a new faction to take their place to still hunt Rose’s down.

“Is Ruby…?” Qrow dare not finish that question.

Fearfully.

They all heard the elevator get called down.

Was Ruby in danger? She had been the moment she was born with silvereyes like her mother.

Qrow then shook his head.

“But why…?” He asked quietly.

As soon as they had both realised that their eyes could mortally harm them, they had done different things. Ozpin had sought to protect them; Salem had sent out her best hunters to destroy them all.

Because after all, in _her_ eyes…

“A Good Silver-Eyed Warrior is a _Dead One_.” Ozpin muttered out loud.

Qrow stared at him with growing horror.

“And Ruby?!” Qrow hissed.

“If it’s _her_ faction, or even someone just emulating it. She is a _Rose_.” Ozpin said, calling back up the map of the trail back up onto his monitors with timestamps, maybe he could figure out how much time they had before they got to Vale.

“And what does that mean?!” Qrow hissed.

“What it means is that this is _bad_.” Ozpin replied.

Qrow blinked in surprised when he finally realised that Ozpin was low-key panicked.

The elevator dinged, and Glynda came in, staring at her tablet with a frown.

“Can you call up any recent missing persons and/or KIA reports— what?” Ozpin trailed off, seeing Glynda’s face.

“I thought this was what you called me in for.” She said, and with a press on her tablet, the file she was looking at transferred over to Ozpin’s centre monitor.

There was a clear black-and-white video feed from a surveillance camera.

In broad daylight and in a manner that spoke that the perpetrators knew they would be captured on camera based on the fact that one of them grinned happily up at the camera.

As they murdered for no good reason a member of society in cold blood.

Both Qrow and Ozpin stared as Glynda called up the file on the recently deceased male.

“Where is this?” Ozpin demanded as he stared at the boy’s silver eyes.

“A village south of Pharos Academy.” Glynda started. “I was made alert due to your safety net.” She added.

The boy was only discovered because Ozpin made sure to put in an alert on her tablet in case Ruby was found over the year she had disappeared and someone noted her eye colour, or her name popped up that gave way her location.

“That is close…” Qrow muttered out.

Glynda sided her head. “Is that a problem?” She asked.

Pharos Academy was only a hop, skip and a jump away from Coquina by a train route running directly between Vacuo to Vale.

“Miss Rose is no longer in Vale, correct?” Ozpin asked.

Glynda frowned and made a few taps and swipes on her tablet.

“No, she and Pine left for Atlas quite a while ago.” She voiced, then looked up. “What is this about?” She asked, having no clue about the other’s murdered.

“I believe that small group have been finding and murdering Silver-Eyed Warriors, in direct orders to Salem’s Kill Factions.” Ozpin sighed sitting back down.

Both Qrow and Glynda stared at the man, who suddenly looked older than his years.

“Would the faction still be running without direct orders?” Glynda asked.

Ozpin pawed his forehead as if he wanted to ward off an oncoming headache. “It’s either that or someone going around killing them because of some reason I can’t think of right now.” He said.

“Hey, roll the video again.” Qrow voiced.

There was no audio, but Qrow leaned in to watch the small group box in around the boy.

“Wait, hold up. Pause it.” He suddenly yelled, pointing to the screen, fast enough he nearly threw his hand through the monitor had Ozpin not made a knee jerk reaction to his hand going close to his monitor by grabbing it gently.

The video feed paused where it captured the trio’s faces, where one was grinning up at them, tauntingly.

“No, I recognise them.” Qrow added.

At that, Ozpin looked closer.

Suddenly realising that they looked familiar to him as well.

Normally Ozpin discarded the feeling, as faces repeated themselves every quarter-century.

But, no, they looked familiar to _him_.

“Where do we know them from?” He asked.

If there was any time to not have a memory lapse, now was the time.

But no, his memory failed to locate where he knew these youths from.

It wasn’t recent, he knew that much. From the way they moved they were trained.

Perhaps Academy trained.

Ozpin quickly put them through the database linked to all schools.

It didn’t take long for them to be pinged.

Two of the three came back as positive facial Identifiers.

They had participated during the Vytal Festival Disaster.

Their teammate was the deceased Cinder Fall.

If Ozpin could feel any worse about this, he now felt it.

“Oh no.” He breathed.

It meant they personally knew Ruby.

“What! What is it!” Qrow demanded.

“They’re after Miss Rose.” He said quietly.

Qrow grew quiet while Glynda nearly lost her tablet in shock.

“Based…Based on their trail, they’re looking for her, and looking for revenge.” Ozpin said.

He was _panicking_.

“What do we do?” Qrow demanded as he came in closer.

Ozpin looked at him.

“How quick can you get to Atlas?” He asked, serious.

Qrow blinked. “I’ll damn well fly there if I have to!” He spat out.

He didn’t even wait for Ozpin’s order; he was out like a shot.

Glynda was distracted by her tablet going off again.

“There’s been another report. Issued right now.” Glynda said her tone way to calm for her expression of total anger that crossed her face.

“Where?” He demanded.

When Glynda looked back up, he didn’t like what he saw.

“Here in Vale.” She said, she threw up the file onto his monitor.

This time, another Faunus.

Silver-eyed.

Civilian.

He never stood a chance.

“What do we do, sir?” Glynda was asking.

Ozpin took a minute to process.

How could he warn them, from Vale to any of them living up at Atlas, at Mantle?

How could he warn Ruby?

How could he keep them, _her_ , safe?

“Are the police involved?” Ozpin asked faintly.

Glynda nodded. “They only have access to the two I have.” She reminded.

Ozpin nodded and sent the files from Theodore over to her tablet. “Make sure they get them and make sure they understand the only thing marking them for death is their eye colour. Also send the report to Mistral and Menagerie, in case they have factions there too.” Ozpin ordered.

“Yes sir.” She replied as she compiled everything to give over to the police.

It didn’t take her long at all.

Glynda even made sure to footnote in large and bold letters the cause and singularity of each murder, as well as the warning that it would likely spread up to Atlas and Mantle.

She got a reply back from the head of the VPD in minutes of her sending the information, as well as his guarantee he would warn the public.

How, she wasn’t sure, but at least it was something they could do to warn anyone who could be suspect in the revenge attacks.

She looked back to Ozpin and stalled.

She had never seen the man this rattled.

Even if he had always been concerned about Ruby, had a soft spot for her the minute he knew about her, since he didn’t hand out cookies to just _anyone_.

Even if she knew the reasons behind it, the reasons then that he had given her, and the reasons over time that had just spilled out from him, as the years went by.

Even with the death of Salem, it seemed that the fear hadn’t quite left him.

And it looked like it had been proven right, her ghost still haunted Remnant like a lingering bad scent.

Even with the whole Oscar Pine thing coming around to nearly bite him back, he had never been this rattled, this _concerned_.

She saw the ghosts lingering in his eyes sometimes when Pine was around.

To him, Pine was just another person he cared for.

And he took that seriously when it came to the boy, and to Ruby.

With Summer Rose, it had been incidental, professional, clinical.

Like it had been with Qrow and herself in the beginning.

People he needed close but held at arms-length for a variety of reasons.

With Summer, incidentally, it was because the woman could have killed him.

Not that she, of they, knew that at the time.

No, this time was different.

It was different because the man _cared_.

And if Glynda believed, he cared perhaps a little too much for it to be classified as Professor-and-Student care.

With everything that had happened in the past four years, she didn’t blame him.

No, this time was different because he cared for them as if they were his _own_ children.

Gods knew they returned the sentiment.

But this time it had become personal.

They were hunting Ruby down, out of revenge.

Glynda was curious to see how far Ozpin would be willing to go to protect who he saw as his own.

She saw how far he was willing to go over the Tyrian fight years ago, and she doubted he had the same sentiments as he did now back then.

It was the same, yet different.

While he saw her as a would-be daughter, he still formalised her name as a professor should.

It was like he didn’t want to acknowledge it, feared she would rebuke him or like he needed permission to change the way he addressed her.

“…Sir?” Glynda called.

Ozpin blinked out of wherever his thoughts sent him and looked back to her.

“And with Miss Rose?” She added to urge him on.

Ozpin nodded and set about swiping over his monitor to change programs.

“I need to call James.” He said with a tone of finality.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I think we all can agree by this point Jacques Schnee needs to go down. And that Marrow is a Good BoyTM. Weiss needs hugs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First: Congrats for making it this far. I don't know how you did it.
> 
> Second: I can now type faster then my computer can keep up. Press F for my computer.
> 
> Third: In the coming weeks I will be reposting chapters from the start as I am rewritting them, so if you don't see an update come Monday, it's probably because I've uploaded a rewritten chapter and Ao3 doesn't decide to tell everyone. Again, SM will say when this happens.
> 
> Fourth: Congrats to JTN for actually proposing over this story. You _did_ dare me. (She said yes, last I heard.) ~~((Also, that I am still evil.))~~
> 
> Fifth: Thanks to Blooming for managing said SM. Most times I'm just happy Discord responds to me.
> 
> Sixth: Thanks to Micka for reading over Marrow and saying it was cool.
> 
> Marrow really is a Good Boy. He deserves better. And a hug.

_We gotta go the distance, even if our train gets derailed. Can you feel fear sweeping the streets? Infesting my conviction, digested by the system. Head on a swivel. My weapons are wits. I’m sending a ripple through reflections, so twisted. You are my guardian angel: I am your hands, your eyes, your voice. Tearing stasis apart to see my questions answered: What are you? Where are we? Lost in a cosmic confusion. …Is free will just an illusion? Are you my guardian angel, or have you drawn me to the void? I guess it’s my time again, only time that’s left, is the time I got right now. So, I’ll keep the world turning…  
even if I gotta turn mine upside down…_

_—_ [ _Andrea Storm Kaden_ ](https://youtu.be/II--jLrcrus?t=5)

_Other Music:_

_[Jeff Williams& Alex Abraham](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObvmVidZ5EI) — The Enemy of Trust Score_

_[Kate Covington](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNHtbw4Kyf0) | Erutan — Rose of May_

Chapter 2

If Weiss had learnt anything in her twenty-five (… _ish_ ) years, it was how to fade away into the background when people started talking valuable information.

…More like it was beaten into her.

But those were semantics from her childhood that she was willing to ignore.

What Weiss wasn’t willing to ignore was the misconduct she had been lowkey following for the past five years.

How could everyone just turn a blind eye to multitudes of stoppable deaths at worksites?

It was even worse if those who had died were Faunus.

Digging around told Weiss no one was ever told about their deaths.

Family members were only told if the person had a debt they were working of, and that it still needed to be paid by the next of kin.

There was no time to grieve, either they started work, or they became the next person to disappear into a black body bag.

It was on the fifth mass death that she knew the company could have stopped for more safety measures, more _care_ into how shifts were planned.

Hell, even halving the shifts would stop labourers dropping their tools onto agitated dust.

She _knew_ the company could do this with the same pay (hell even a pay rise to everyone), and not even take a loss.

Weiss just wasn’t quite sure just how to go about overthrowing her father as legally as she could because waiting for him to fall off his perch by death wasn’t an option anymore.

Not with how many deaths flew out of his mines daily.

Not when she could hopefully do something about it.

It was then, while dividing her time between that and her obligations with the Schnee Research division to physically appear a Semblance after the only success of Ruby’s, that she ran into several snags that didn’t include how much time it was taking and her ugly thinking that committing patricide would _be faster and more economical_.

Only after the success of pulling Ruby’s Semblance physically did it come to the attention of Ironwood once the report was published about what the researchers found about the second jar in their gritty hands.

While it meant more funding, it also meant being herded back and forth between the lab and Ironwood’s office with Winter to report a big fat _nothing_ had occurred since Ruby’s.

It always felt like failure.

Ironwood had the idea that if one could jar a Semblance, then one could use it outside of the person who _owned_ it.

It was an interesting hypothesis. …If only a little creepy.

One that Weiss could not prove with Ruby’s lone jar. As the people holding the jar never became any faster, they were just able to feel whatever emotion Ruby was feeling at the time.

It was because of that, that Weiss slowly met Ironwood’s Ace-Ops. They would wander in every so often, on and off duty: as curious with her line of work, as was their master.

It was always interesting whenever Clover Ebi bounded in, once Weiss figured out his Semblance was the opposite of what she was used to when it came to _luck_.

When he said it was based on luck, she almost bared her fingers at him in a cross-like fashion, like he was some spawn of the son of Satan, bared her teeth and almost demanded he left her lab.

But no, she tripped over a wayward wire, he caught her, and she realised it was _good_ luck he carried.

She almost wondered what would happen if he ever met Qrow.

Probably nothing good, or they would get on like a house on fire.

If she nearly made the wrong impression on Clover, then she _definitely_ made the wrong impression on Marrow Amin.

She almost threw a sizeable tome of a book directly into his face. It would have connected with his face had the Faunus not freaked out and ducked at the right time.

Weiss doubted any amount of apology she could repeat would ever help lessen the contempt he probably had with her, pre near death by book.

He hadn’t come away from the door and looked about ready to bolt nervously even as she apologised, even when she moved to collect the book by his foot, he eyed her every move cautiously and warily. It was as if he had just realised that he was alone with her.

Weiss hadn’t understood the overly silent polite bow he gave her when she paused for him to retaliate, or why he left backwards to keep her in sight.

/

* * *

/

By the time that the year was out, Weiss was getting increasingly frustrated with how much progress she hadn’t made with both her projects.

No one had come through those doors had walked out with a Semblance that could be jarred.

No closer was she closer to understanding Schnee politics that surrounded taking her father off his throne permanently.

Sure, she could take him out, for perhaps a month at best, and whatever legislation she put through, she knew would be thoroughly torn down the second he was back.

She just slammed her head into the pages of a tome and groaned impressively, and extremely unladylike when she came to another piece of legalities that she didn’t understand which party side it protected.

She was fairly sure it protected her father. In most cases, it _always_ protected her father.

If she couldn’t understand its point, then it was protecting her father.

“Wow. Troubles in Snob-Ville?” A voice asked.

If Weiss wasn’t already hiding her head, she would again.

Because _of course_ Marrow would wander in when she was like this.

“I don’t know, how close are you to my brother?” She grouched.

“Ye- _ouch_. I don’t hang with any of you Schnee’s.” He said, pure disgust in his voice.

“Believe me, I would love to.” She muttered.

His silence meant he heard her.

He always got that static silence about him when she said things that went against the stereotype that he had for her.

Not that she didn’t have the stereotype in spades when she left for Beacon for her first year.

She wanted to go back in time and whack herself for being that bratty. And that blind-sighted.

If he was going to hang around, so be it.

She didn’t get why the Ace-ops came in whenever they wanted. Maybe patrols?

So, Weiss lifted her head and glared at the book.

“Light reading?” He asked, his tone was surprisingly curious with a hint of play.

Weiss glared at him. “Don’t make me hit you again. It’s politics, it might hurt your brain.” She warned.

Marrow’s eyebrows lifted as he looked dumbfounded.

“It is certainly hurting you.” He said.

Weiss rolled her eyes. “Only because I’m trying to read underneath it all, and fight against the urge to throw it into the fire.” She gripped.

She had ignored the looks of surprise when she wandered in one day and found the wall panel for the fireplace no one knew was there.

She’d thank Oscar whenever he got his butt into her lab.

Weiss sighed and got up to stretch.

“Are you here for any real reason? Or are you just patrolling?” Weiss asked curiously.

Marrow just shrugged. “Just patrols.” He said simply.

Weiss took in the wary tone and left it well alone.

She ended up wandering over to the large wall glass, looking out towards the city. Weiss was aware that Marrow had moved to see what she was reading, his curiosity probably taking a hit. She didn’t really mind him snooping. It was better than his previous behaviour of trying to fuse with the walls and never taking his eyes off her.

“Dust politics?” She heard him mutter in absolute confusion. “Why’re you reading this? Didn’t you already have this spoon-fed to you as a baby?” He asked.

She was too exhausted to get into that discussion.

She turned sidewards and faced him.

He looked absolutely confused, his frown just as prominent as he flipped between the page she was reading and the page prior when she had a flash of insight.

“Lend me your ear?” She questioned.

He immediately dropped the page and openly glared at her. “Was that a derogative?” He asked, his tone suddenly angry.

She blinked at him baffled. “No. Absolutely not!” She said. “And I apologise you took it as such. I only meant I wanted your opinion of my thinking.” She added.

Marrow now looked lost, even confused. But at least the anger bled out of him in his incredulousness.

“You want _my_ opinion?!” He nearly yelped.

Weiss nodded. “Would you mind?” She asked.

He eyed her. “What will you do with it?” He asked, suspicious.

Weiss just sighed. “I want to understand what I can’t see. Maybe I’m just too far inside my own head.” She muttered out in frustration.

“…That made no sense at all. Did you not get your way with something?” He asked.

She groaned. “If I had my way my father would no longer be running the company.” She said.

He blinked at her.

“Why?” He asked, almost demanded.

Weiss turned back to the window and stared out to where she could see the dark plumes of smoke rising from the nearest mine.

Each of the sudden darker spots could mean a death or a slow progression of one.

A story that would never be told. A family waiting for their loved one to come home who never did. How long would they wait by their fires, anxious for the doorknob to just _turn_.

She turned back to him.

“What do you see?” She asked.

Marrow frowned but consented to stand next to her.

He looked out and saw the world she did.

“I see death.” He answered.

Weiss didn’t know why her breath released in a stunted way at his response.

“…So do I…” She muttered as she stared.

She felt his stare at her side as she glared out the window.

“How is reading a book helping all those who have died? How is it preventing those who still could?” He asked, incredulous starting to creep back into his voice as he pointed openly to the book at her desk.

“You got a better idea on how to legally take over the company?” She asked.

He was now openly staring at her now.

“You actually want to overtake your father?” He asked, now fully incredulous.

“As if my brother would be any better!” She hissed back. “Yes, naturally, I want to! I can’t just go up to him and demand he put in place better work ethics. It won’t stand, and then he will disinherit me for good and then I won’t have any standing at all!” Weiss ranted.

Marrow was still staring.

So much she took a step back. “What?” She asked defensively.

“You _actually_ care.” Marrow said, in complete awe.

She stared at him. “Was I not meant to?” She said.

He just shrugged noncommittedly. “Not many humans do.” He said defensively.

“Most humans haven’t been in a position where they _can_ change it.” Weiss said.

Even Ironwood in his High Castle was pinned in by the Atlas Council.

Just as much as Ozpin was by the Vale Council.

Marrow looked as if he conceded that point.

“And what do you want to do?” He asked curiously.

“Besides the obvious of stopping every single death that could be avoided with better care?” She asked, sarcastically.

Marrow actually snorted. “Yeah. Aside from that.” He added.

Weiss rolled her eyes. “Make sure whatever I do makes a difference, and he can’t regain control and dismantle everything.” She pointed back to the book. “Everything I’ve read so far only allows me to take office for a short time before he can regain his position and overturn anything I do while there.” She explained.

Marrow clicked his tongue understandingly. “Ah. Now I understand the book. You are looking for something that can legally bound him defenceless?” He asked.

She snickered. “Much like your Semblance.” She laughed.

All the Ace-Ops went through her lab, none of them left with a jar. But it was because of this she knew each of their Semblances down pat.

Marrow hummed thoughtfully and went back over to her desk to peer over at the book.

“Is this the only book?” He asked.

Weiss sighed and came back to her chair. “The one and only, as far as I’m aware. I’m only halfway through, and I kinda don’t want him to get wind I’m in the process of this in case he finds out and disinherits me first. …If that makes sense.” She said, frowning in confusion by the end.

He just chuckled. “Your secret is safe with me, Princess.” He said playfully, as he mockingly bowed.

She glared back. “I should hit you for that.” She added, just as playful.

He immediately put his arms up playfully. “Not with the book!” He pleaded with a grin, only to make her laugh.

Weiss watched as he looked at least a little bit more cheerful to be in her lab, or at least he had relaxed a little more around her then she had ever seen him be.

Maybe if he could joke about it, he wasn’t so angry about it now.

Marrow just sighed as he reigned in his laughter. “So, you had a team before all of this, right? Do you still keep in touch with them?” He asked, as if he was searching for a safer topic then the one they were currently talking about.

Weiss hummed and was a little grateful for the topic change, maybe she needed a break from her headspace.

“One of my teammates was the first we were able to get a Semblance jar from,” Weiss pointed to the only jar on the desk.

She didn’t mind his thoughtful hum, or that he picked the jar up.

“Rose petals?” He questioned curiously.

“Ruby Rose.” Weiss iterated.

Marrow looked as if he understood. “Ah. _Her_.” He pondered aloud.

Weiss blinked in confusion.

“How do _you_ know Ruby?” She asked.

Marrow was looking at the petals dancing around in a wind he couldn’t feel. He got the sense they were happy, even a little excited.

Well, it was Christmas after all.

Marrow then looked up to see Weiss frowning.

“I don’t know her, but I’ve been around the General enough times to hear reports. She seems to be someone he’s kept up to date with from Ozpin.” Marrow explained.

“Ah,” Weiss muttered.

Yeah. Now it made sense.

Of course, Ruby and Oscar came up in conversation between Ozpin and Ironwood. Especially since the only Jar they had was Ruby’s, and the girl seemed to have grown on the old Headmaster.

Weiss watched that Marrow had turned his attention back to watching the petals dance around. They were hypnotic when they were calm.

Frightening when they were not.

By now, Weiss didn’t even need to hold the jar to know what her friend was feeling based on the petal speed and colour alone.

Colour was a recent thing the petals seemed to be able to do, and she would need to ask Ruby when she got her butt up here with Oscar next time.

“This is the only jar you’ve captured?” Marrow said as curious as he watched the jar in his hand, suddenly feeling as calm as the petals were.

“It’s a pair. Ruby has the other one.” Weiss iterated.

“You didn’t keep both?” He asked.

Weiss shrugged. “We didn’t need both. They do the same thing. I’ve heard that Oscar can keep calmer with it.” She said, remembering the last conversation she had with Ruby and Oscar.

She doubted she would ever get that jar back, and she was grateful she had two to begin with.

Weiss really wasn’t sure where Oscar would actually be, mentally had he never been given the jar in the first place.

She wondered how many panic attacks she had inadvertently dispelled because she took the job based on its interesting thesis, and wasn’t even mad when they told her it was in league with the Schnee Dust Company for funding (because who wasn’t these days?) And was even proud at the time they hadn’t even seen her name; they went with her because she was the only applicant.

But she still would like to have told Ruby she could’ve shoved her Crescent Rose up their noses every time they got snooty and high and mighty about any type of breakthrough or wouldn’t even look at Ruby when she was here.

Or anyone, for that matter, who was a Huntsmen who walked through their doors to see if they could jar another Semblance.

She really should pin them to the wall.

“How does this work anyway?” Marrow was asking, bringing her back out of her mind.

Weiss looked to him and saw he was gesturing to the field room.

Weiss just sighed. “Lot of Science-y know-how that is apparently patented, and has something to do with magnets, I think, and not luck, since it didn’t work on Clover,” Weiss frowned. “Or did it work, and it’s just telling us we shouldn’t be trying to…?” Weiss ended up muttering.

Marrow waved his hands at her. “Whoa, whoa! No need to get philosophical with me!” He yelped in panic. “I just work here!” He added.

Weiss just laughed. “Yeah. So do I.” She answered.

Marrow eyed her as if stupefied at her, before chuckling. “You are very different from what I thought you would be…” He started.

Weiss looked to him openly. “Yeah? I’m sorry about trying to murder you with the book, I was just frustrated at the constant barrage of interruptions…” She apologised.

He blinked at her, before bursting out laughing. “So that was the reason! I didn’t get it past the jabbering you did!” He said through laughter.

Weiss just pouted and crossed her arms. “I said I was sorry…” She muttered.

Marrow was chuckling now. “Yeah. I got that part, the why I didn’t get. I thought you were throwing it at me, because… you know…” He ended up awkwardly.

Weiss didn’t need to see his tail to know he was trying to not be embarrassed.

But she shook her head. “No, it was because you were the hundredth person through my door and I just snapped. I didn’t even see you, I just heard the door opening and footsteps.” She explained.

Marrow leaned against her desk, looking at her thoughtfully. “And not because I was a Faunus?” He asked, more direct this time.

Weiss just shook her head. “Never because of that. I know about the atrocities my family company alone has caused the Faunus because I was at the Mistral Event. I saw firsthand the divide it caused in the White Fang, and that of the Faunus populace. I saw the destroyed families, and I see it every time a plume of smoke goes up from each factory I can see out my window.” She near ranted.

Marrow watched her carefully.

“And your solution was a book?” He asked.

Weiss looked to him. “To legally and forever remove the head of the Schnee Dust Company I need to know the legalities of how to do it. I don’t have much time until my father figures out my ideas and removes my ability to take over. If he disinherits me, I can never gain it back, and it rolls over to my brother.” Weiss explained.

Marrow suddenly looked as if he understood. “So…the answer is in that book you tried to murder me with?” He supplied.

“Please stop bringing that up.” She pleaded.

He grinned. “Never on your life!” He crowed happily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: feat the return of Oscar and Ruby! 
> 
> ~~And is why we can't have nice things.~~


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oscar senses Danger. The word isn't magnets. Copious use of Latin, which should probably be Google translated for your own nightmare fuel. George the Hound will visit mine tonight. Thanks, RT. Press F for Winter. Oscar needs a better hobby then throwing books over peoples head. These children really should stop meddling with things. You can't change Weiss' mind that this is entirely Ozpin's fault somehow. Ruby's just thankful the building hasn't collapsed yet. Oscar's scaring people again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see: I AM NOT DEAD! I deadass forgot to upload and Blooming didn't remind me.
> 
> Also, I swear, by now this series is running on dares and out of pure spite for the actual show.  
> Hahahaha.... ow.  
>  ~~I am not okay, RT!~~
> 
> If I ever drop RWBY, you can bet my dead ass this: I'll finish this just to spite the reason.
> 
> This chapter could get uploaded because I finished the next chapter based on Nightmare fuel George: Big brother to Toto, and a dare I should write right after watching RWBY.  
>  ~~This won't help me when I go to sleep tonight~~
> 
> But I digress. Google Translate is your friend.  
> Someone hug Oscar. Or protect him.  
> Press F.

_When you were standing in the wake of devastation. When you were waiting on the edge of the unknown. And with the cataclysm raining down. Insides crying, “Save me now!” You were there, impossibly alone. And in a burst of light that blinded every angel: As if the sky had blown the heavens into stars. You felt the gravity of tempered grace, falling into empty space: No one there to catch you in their arms. Do you feel cold and lost in desperation? You build up hope, but failure’s all you’ve known. Remember all the sadness and frustration. And let it go.  
Let it go.  
— [Linkin Park](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWi-nEGU7pk)_

_Other Music:_

_[Trading Yesterday](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCkGDdTIGnc) — May I_

[_Falling up_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BohB-MVbado) _—_ _Arafax Deep_

Chapter 3

There was something fundamentally wrong with the room Oscar was standing in for the past five minutes.

He could ignore the scientists running around.

He could ignore Ruby off to the side chatting with Weiss.

But he couldn’t ignore the jarring feeling this room was entirely _wrong_.

And he didn’t know why.

It wasn’t because it was cold.

Atlas was always cold.

So, it wasn’t that aspect of the room. He had his Aura engaged as well as his jumper on to avoid being any colder than he already was by association.

He knew the feeling was going to niggle away at him until he blew up as asked to see the specifications of the room before he tore it apart.

He had a bad feeling about this room.

./.

Ruby couldn’t get over how Winter’s face fell dramatically when she saw she wasn’t alone when she and Weiss came to greet her and Oscar as they got off the plane.

She even mentally laughed that as soon as Winter could leave, _she booked it_.

Ruby let Oscar wander into the Science-y room as she followed Weiss into a study room off to the side, making sure to leave the door open.

If she could go back, even five years ago, and tell herself that Weiss had a desk job at Atlas, she’d laugh. Because she laughed when she realised it the first time.

At least it paid well.

“How are things here?” Ruby asked.

She was immediately glad for the fireplace and didn’t plan to leave its warmth unless Oscar needed her.

But she looked when Weiss just groaned.

“It’s not going well at all.” She moaned.

Ruby blinked. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?” She asked in a rush.

“You’re the only Semblance we’ve been able to capture. The theory behind it suggests we shouldn’t be limited to just physical ones, elsewise yours wouldn’t have been able to jar in the first place. It’s how I know you shouldn’t be able to feel Oscar without him having a jar of his own.” Weiss said.

Ruby took that rush of information quietly.

“There are a few other things that have come to our attention as well. And we know it’s because of the jar, as taking the jar away from Oscar stops all of it.” Ruby announced.

Weiss frowned but went over to her desk to pull out a notepad from her draw.

“Alright. Tell me.” She asked.

Ruby was about to when she felt a rush of indecisive emotions from Oscar that made her turn away from Weiss and to the Science-y Room in a second flat.

“Oscar…?” She muttered before leaving the fire’s warmth, not seeing Weiss’ concerned frown, or even noting that Weiss had followed.

They rounded back into the room to see Oscar was standing in the middle of the room, with his back to them. Ruby was the first to get in front of him to see the little confused frown on his face.

“Oscar?” She asked.

Weiss came around to see him blink back into focus and look to her.

“Ruby?” He questioned, he looked lost. “There is something wrong with this room.” He answered.

Weiss sided her head in thought, while Ruby looked a little wide-eyed in concern.

“Can you tell what?” She asked.

Oscar just shook his head.

“Maybe if I was allowed to look behind the walls…” He muttered.

He needed to see how the room worked.

Weiss shrugged. “Sure. Come with me.” She said, moving off to the door, waving her hand in a gesture they follow.

Weiss made sure to glare at the scientists who looked deadly affronted at her allowing Oscar ‘behind the scenes’.

If there was something wrong, she wanted to know about it.

She wasn’t about to question the feeling he got; she didn’t need to understand it.

She just understood where it came _from_ , enough to be concerned.

Weiss saw the concerned look on Ruby enough to allow Oscar between the wall of the room and the modified walls of the science walls.

As far as Weiss knew, the modifier panels are what amplified Semblance and controlled temperature as well as the size of the room.

It was how Weiss was able to move the modifiers into the room to allow Oscar at their back.

But she felt a little concerned when he stopped, more like froze at the first modifier he saw.

“Magnets?” He questioned.

She wasn’t quite sure if he was questioning her or questioning the little voice he no longer had in his head.

Weiss looked to Ruby, who shrugged in concern, but let Oscar roam.

He finally moved to the second panel, and they both saw his frown get worse when he looked to Weiss.

“And…And you’re sure this got approved by the Council?” He asked, blatant confusion in his tone.

Weiss nodded. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t, Oscar.” She said.

Oscar just nodded and looked back to the panel. “And if I said it was broken…?” Oscar pondered, before eyeing her. “Could I fix it?” He asked.

Weiss blinked and moved to stand next to him.

“What’s broken exactly?” She asked.

Oscar blinked at her. “Not exactly broken. But with this setup, I don’t even know how you got Ruby’s to manifest.” He said.

That caused Weiss to frown. “…You’ve seen this before?” She asked.

She wasn’t sure if she should be worried about that or not.

Oscar nodded. “…I can’t remember from when…” He muttered.

“But you know how it’s not working?” She asked.

He looked at her. “Where exactly did this idea come from?” He asked.

“Semblance Manifestation Theory,” Weiss said. “There are volumes on it.” She added.

Oscar just sighed. “Right. Let me see?” He asked.

Weiss pulled them back into her office and went over to the full bookcase to pull down a tome with both hands to haul onto her desk on top of her own homework.

She gestured to it. “Here,” She said. “Half of the words make no sense.” She added in a warning.

They both came over and Ruby opened the cover to see what Weiss meant. The first page, which was typically the cover page, was written in what she could assume was twice, once in a language she understood, and one she did not.

_Semblance Manifestation Theory_

_Semblance Transmission_

_Theoria Motus speciem manifestatione_

_Medio quod Magia patiare innubere nostris_

Oscar’s immediate response was to shut the book and hurl it away from them.

“Absolutely not!” He said loudly as he threw the book.

As both girls screeched in fright and ducked as the book went sailing over their heads.

_It hadn’t worked the last time, what made them think it would work this time?!_

Oscar glared at the book as Weiss went to pick it up.

“Okay…” Weiss muttered warily.

While Ruby stepped closer to him. “…It’s that bad?” She asked.

Oscar looked as if he was trying to calm himself down as he breathed heavily, still glaring at the book Weiss was holding protectively.

“You need to tell me otherwise I can’t stop them,” Weiss said as she gingerly placed the book back on her desk. “Please don’t throw it again.” She pleaded.

The book didn’t fly off the desk again, but Weiss didn’t dare touch it.

Oscar looked up.

“Good news. I know what’s wrong with the room!” He called, suddenly cheerful.

Both girls twitched at the sudden one-eighty the boy did.

“Bad news is: We shouldn’t be touching it with a ten-foot pole!” He added.

Naturally, of course, they were going to touch it with a ten-foot pole. And _poke_ it too.

The girls were helpless to follow Oscar back into the Science-y Room worriedly. They watched as he took a second then stalked right into the control room.

“What is the end result? What’s the end goal?” He asked.

Weiss gestured to the main computer.

“To test and manifest a person’s Semblance physically and capture it in a jar.” Weiss said.

Oscar turned to look at her. “Then?” He prompted.

Weiss blinked. “Then _what_?” She stressed.

They hadn’t been able to get past manifesting _one_ let alone thinking about what to do _afterwards_!

And she didn’t like the way Oscar was looking at her.

She couldn’t tell if it was pity or outrage, or even a mix of both.

“Are you apart of every discussion that goes on about this project?” Oscar asked.

Weiss blinked. “Almost every one of them.” She reported.

Oscar just stared. “…And you don’t have a plan for after…?” He muttered as if he was confused.

He was confusing _her_!

Weiss huffed out in confusion. “Be my guest to look through the logs.” Weiss said. “You still haven’t said if I should even continue this…?” She added.

He eyed her in a way she could only guess was an old look, and she heard Ruby make a noise in worry.

“That depends, can I rewrite the coding and rework the room?” He asked.

Weiss titled her head. “Will it make it safer?” She asked.

Oscar just scoffed. “That and limit everything wrong with this entire venture.” He muttered.

Weiss didn’t think it was wise to reply.

She could now see what Ruby had meant years ago, that Oscar could destroy things if he wanted to. But if anything went wrong, she was going to yell from the highest steeple in Atlas that it was _his_ , and therefore, _Ozpin’s_ fault.

And absolutely no one and absolutely _nothing_ could change her mind.

/

* * *

/

Ruby was worried.

Not in a: _Oscar-Is-Going-AWOL_ worried.

More: _He-Might-Reduce-This-Entire-Building-to-Rubble_ worried.

She was just as lost as Weiss was about what got him so riled up in the first place.

She wasn’t sure if it was the room or the book that they were following was the first thing to freak him out.

But Weiss let him have the computer, glaring at the scientists when they looked as if they wanted to step in and stop him.

She would gladly record the outcome if Oscar rightly tore them a new one.

Oscar hadn’t lost the glare and he stomped his way back into her office. Weiss, too curious, looked at the computer the man just abandoned.

She blinked when the entire system was rewritten, in a language _she couldn’t read_.

“Um…Ruby?” She questioned.

Ruby looked to her to see Weiss pointing, and she came over to look.

She scrolled through the entire log and from the first entry, to the last, was rewritten in that first language Oscar spouted swear words in.

She eyed him and felt that he was just angry at the room, but he wasn’t slipping.

And because of that, she allowed herself to be impressed that he had somehow got the computer system to recognise a language not inputted into its system in the first place.

“Is he okay?” Weiss asked nervously.

Ruby nodded. “He’s just… I’m not gonna say angry? But he is. Not at us. At the situation? I need a better word than angry to fit his emotions. It’s like a mix of old frustration and newer revile?” Ruby tried to explain what she could feel from him.

They both clammed up when he stalked back into the room holding the dreaded book.

Weiss just hoped the room would be standing by the time he was finished.

She tried really hard not to flinch or even stand to attention to _salute_ when he looked to her. “Can I talk to your head scientist?” He asked.

Weiss immediately nodded and set about making sure the man knew he was needed.

Atlas’ top scientist was a redhaired man called Auburn.

And as his name suggested, he got his position by climbing to the top by how deep his family’s pockets were as well as their reputation in the science community.

Weiss saw that Oscar saw through the man in a second flat by the way his eyes narrowed.

“Pop Quiz.” Oscar ordered.

Weiss was gleeful to see Auburn nearly stood to attention as she did.

Even if he were confused about how Oscar could order him about.

Oscar held up the book that everyone just realised was hovering by his side, held up by his Semblance.

“Did you even _read this_ before deciding it was a good idea?” He asked, his tone was dark in muted quiet anger.

So much both girls could see Ozpin bleeding through.

Auburn looked affronted, as did the other scientists.

“Of course, we read it! It’s how we came up with this room!” Auburn hissed out, angrily.

Oscar scoffed before he threw the book at the other man. “Show me where you got it from.” He ordered as he ignored the pained groan from Auburn when the book hit hm.

Auburn knew not to question, especially if Weiss hadn’t overruled Oscar.

But he opened the book towards the end and turned it around to a diagram.

It was much the same as the room.

Only the instructions weren’t readable to anyone, but to probably Oscar and Ozpin at this point.

Ruby nearly stepped up when she saw the darker grin Oscar took.

“Oh, so, you can read the words?” Oscar asked, brightly.

Auburn just scowled. “No one can read the old language.” He hissed.

Oscar’s eyebrows just shot up in faux agreement.

“So…how did you understand how to build it, or what to build?” Oscar pressed.

Auburn sighed and flipped to the previous page, where again both languages were written. Instructions. Details. _Warnings_.

The construction of the room was before Weiss’ start date, and she came in closer, as did Ruby, curiously to see if they could see what Oscar was so mad about.

_transference of Semblance into a holder requires specific magnets._

_requirit hospes transitum in magicis sacrificium_

Without any real grasp of the older language, the translation was all they had to go on.

“Okay. Explain. _I’m curious_.” Oscar ordered.

Auburn just looked confused. “In order for a Semblance to be placed into a jar, the room needed magnets.” Auburn said.

Oscar just looked stunned. “How in all of Remnant did you pluck that out of everything said in this book?” He asked, dumbfounded.

“Certain words a repeated over and over in the same context, with the same translation. Such as the word ‘ _Magicis_ ’, it’s always referred to as either ‘Magnets’, or ‘Semblance.” The man explained.

Weiss and Ruby just saw the dumbfounded expression on Oscar’s face not move an inch.

They could guess, by his expression alone, that the translations did _not_ match.

“ _Magicis_ even sounds like Magnets.” Auburn muttered.

Ruby felt the incredulousness as much as Weiss saw the flinch Oscar made.

Ruby could gather Auburn had said the word wrong.

“…I am astounded that you actually managed to jar even one, and not kill anyone with that theory.” Oscar said bluntly.

Everyone was suddenly moving.

“What do you mean?!” Auburn was the loudest in saying.

Weiss had immediately taken Ruby’s arm in fright.

Ruby was the only one they had managed to jar.

And Oscar comes out and says _that_!?

“There is no mention in the book this process could kill someone!” A scientist yelled.

“Magnets can’t kill people!” Another yelled.

“That’s what our Aura is for!” Another.

Suddenly everything in the room was rattling and the walls _groaning_.

“ _Sufficit_!” Oscar yelled as he slammed Silvis down into the ground loudly.

They all froze.

Weiss looked to Ruby to see if they needed to evacuate the room.

“ _Enough_.” Oscar growled.

Weiss was the one to step forward cautiously.

“Oscar,” Weiss called gently.

The man was panting, but he looked to her without harm.

“Is the room, as it stands _right now_ , more harm than good?” She asked.

Oscar nodded. “I am trying to get over the fact that Ruby could have died. _Anyone_ you tried this on, _could have died_.” He groaned, pawing his eyes with his fists.

Weiss could ignore Silvis floating in the air beside him.

“Can you fix it?” Ruby asked.

Oscar just groaned, leant outward, but nodded.

“Can you explain how?” Weiss asked.

Not that she was entirely sure she would understand the answer, nor would she be completely surprised if he told her he would dismantle the entire floor.

_Just get them out. Please_.

Ruby heard Oscar plead, even if he hadn’t said a word.

“Weiss?” Ruby started, causing Weiss to look at her.

Ruby subtle motioned the scientists and the door with her eyes and head.

Weiss immediately understood.

“Right. I’m closing this. Out. All of you.” Weiss ordered.

She glared when Auburn looked as if he was about to fight.

As soon as they were all out, Ruby was moving to Oscar’s side.

“Oscar?” She asked as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

She thanked for small mercies that he didn’t flinch.

That even with everything going on, _he still knew her_.

“It’s just…You could have died…” Oscar muttered.

Weiss made sure to place a blackened glyph over the door to make sure it stayed locked.

“Can you explain?” Ruby asked gently.

Oscar sighed and looked at her.

“ _What’s your favourite fairy tale_?” He asked.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oscar is all too happy to Enact Yeetus Deletus on the lab and upon these stupid Atlesians after realising they almost killed Ruby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't forget this time! It also helps that I finished writing chapter 5 last night that made me remember that because I finished it, chapter 4 could be uploaded.  
> Press F in reviews for my hands. They wrote almost all ten pages in one sitting.
> 
> Marrow, my Good Boy Son, please. Please listen to reason >_<
> 
> The First Chapter of US1 has been rewritten and re-uploaded for your viewing pleasure, should you wish to go back into this hellhole of a story one more time.

_Please, can we stop all the fights? I’ll do it because it’s my turn. Take a step back, please face up to reality, yes. You don’t hear me, no. You can change that if you want. But don’t you know: there are people crying every day? Look around the world: How can we stop the war? Hello. But are we sure enough? You’ll come back tomorrow, but I need to know that. Look around the world: So, what are we fighting for? Can I ask you, why the sky is blue? There’s no difference you and me: Because it’s time to wake you up. Come on take my hand, take it now see far away. See the dawn, it’s time to fly. Here we are, come on just share this perfect sky. See the dawn, hold me now. Catch my hopes. Feel me now in your arms.  
— [Aimee Blackschleger](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPMRLGSEjbY)_

_Other Music:_

_[Eliana](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOk3piZzdxc) — Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress_

_[Hiroyuki Sawano](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsVhOjSN2fs) — ROBOT_

Chapter 4

Weiss was silently fuming.

Ruby, on the other hand, had just _laughed_ and taken it in her stride that her soon to be _husband_ had felt it wise to remove everyone but himself from the lab.

“ _He’ll be right_.” Ruby had told her.

_She had just been evicted from her own lab!_

How was any of this ‘alright’?!

She couldn’t even get into her office! Not even to grab her book, with how Oscar had just cautioned off the entire lab with locks she didn’t even know the room _had_.

Weiss wasn’t about to question _how_.

To be honest with herself, she wasn’t mad at Oscar.

He was just doing what he felt was safe.

Which basically boiled down to evacuating everyone from the room.

Because some idiot translated the word _Magicis_ into _Magnets_.

When it was actually the root word for Magic.

As soon as Oscar explained that in far fewer words, he shoved them out the door.

“I’m going to find something to drink.” Ruby had said once she had finished laughing.

“Cafeteria is on level five.” Weiss had answered automatically.

Ruby saluted and was off like a shot like Weiss had somehow forgotten she could still do.

It had made it into her sidenotes in her brain to never go by translations the Scientists had on hand, but to go directly to Oscar, hell, even Ozpin, before taking them at face value ever again.

She didn’t want to be responsible for people dying over mistranslation.

“Did you get kicked out?” A voice asked.

Weiss couldn’t help but smile softly and turn. “Hello, Marrow.” She greeted as she did.

Knowing this man for over a year now had put certain things in perspective for the semi-reluctant heiress.

Like how she should never move too fast towards him when greeting him.

And to let him spot check the room to find a safe spot. Which was normally near the exit.

She hated learning all of this by trial and error, and she hated seeing him flinch as if he expected her to suddenly do a one-eighty in morals and hit him.

“Would it surprise you that I did?” Weiss asked.

He was by her now, and he had sided his head in confusion. “What. You actually got kicked out?!” He said in rising alarm. “…By _who_!?” He added, looking to the closed door in trepidation.

Weiss just sighed and slumped into the wall behind her.

“A friend of mine can read the old language,” Weiss noted the look of absolute surprise and awe that went across Marrow’s face. “And…let’s just say the room should have killed everyone in it by now because _someone_ translated the words wrong.” Weiss cringed.

Marrow stared in horror.

“We could have _died_!?” He nearly yelled.

“I have to report that to Ironwood, huh?” Weiss grumbled as if she just realised it.

Marrow blinked. “…Is this friend of yours fixing the lab?” He asked.

Weiss just nodded.

“He knows his stuff…” Weiss said evasively as she could.

Marrow just shrugged. “Then let him fix it, and _he_ can tell General Ironwood what was wrong with it and how he fixed it.” He suggested.

Weiss blinked. Oscar could handle Ironwood.

Hell, Oscar would probably want to.

“Maybe we can ask Oscar to chew him out while he does it.” Weiss said.

Weiss couldn’t ignore the flinch Marrow did at her elaborative and again had to mentally whack herself for not checking over her own words.

Marrow did appreciate the cringe Weiss made when she realised that she was in the wrong, and the subtle apologetic teeth bare she made at him.

He learnt early on this was how she silently apologised once she realised that she had miss-stepped and thought she would cause further harm by apologising aloud to him for her mistake.

It only took less than a year for a _Schnee,_ no less, to realise how words could harm as much as physical blows.

Marrow had to admit, if he was stuck on an island with any human, he’d much rather it be her over any other human he knew.

He could see over the course of the year how much she was trying to change her wording and how much she was willing to do _on the side_ to try and help Faunus by changing their world fundamentally.

He wouldn’t’ve pegged her for it, from her name and to how they officially met when he first heard of her from Ironwood when he gave the Ace-ops the mission to watch over the project personally.

Speaking of which.

“How goes your Schnee Homework go?” He asked curiously.

Marrow tried really hard not to grin when she slumped further and groaned unladylike.

“Not good.” She pointed to the lab over her shoulder by her thumb. “It’s in there, for starters.” She moaned in woe.

He almost wanted to pat her head in console.

But he doubted she would appreciate him touching her at all.

Marrow just ended up siding his head.

“Can’t you, like, go in, and…” Marrow mimicked punching outwards with both arms several times. “…get it?” He added.

Weiss stared at him widely, not knowing he had this side to him. And if he had, she had never seen it before. Only a second past before she bent over and _laughed_.

It was a good side to see.

“Go in guns blazing?” Weiss asked, and Marrow nodded eagerly, and she giggled. “Against Oscar? No thanks. He can level this building without being surprised because of me.” Weiss added.

Marrow looked horrified. “ _He can do **what**_?” He exploded.

Then cringed in fright when there was a sudden explosion of flower petals.

Weiss saw the expression on his face and had no way to alleviate him.

He jumped in fright when Ruby amassed and jumped to Weiss’ side jubilantly.

“Weiss! I found the hot chocolate machine!” She said happily _and loudly_.

Ruby might be an idiot, but she could tell when Weiss was glaring at her as if she had done something wrong.

…Which is why, usually, Ruby always got glared at by Weiss.

“Ruby!” Weiss hissed urgently and notched her head at Marrow, who looked as if he wasn’t quite sure if he should flee, or stay, and looked mid-stride in fleeing.

Ruby could understand that much.

She stood to attention and saluted. “Hello! I’m Ruby Rose!” She greeted.

Marrow stood for a second longer in confusion about the salute that was completely different before he stood his ground when he remembered why her name sounded familiar.

She was a friend of Weiss’.

And perhaps meant as much unwilling harm as Weiss did.

Seeing him settle in his confusion, Weiss turned to Ruby.

“Can you tell me if your boyfriend is done with my lab yet?” Weiss asked.

Ruby nodded. “Sure!” She said happily.

/

* * *

/

Even Ruby jumped when Oscar slammed the door open, heavy with a scowl on his face.

“The room needs to reset.” He grumbled in annoyance glaring at the book still floating by his side.

“Is it safe?” Weiss immediately asked.

“In about half-hour, sure. …You’re sure I can’t just destroy it?” Oscar asked.

Everyone blinked.

“…You’re gonna have to explain why it’s bad in the first place. I mean, I know you said _magic_ , but that’s all you said. And while that might be a whole explanation to _you_ , it’s not for _us_.” Weiss said.

Oscar just sighed and ran one hand through his hair exasperatedly.

“I may as well only do it once.” He muttered, then headed off.

“Wait!” Ruby was yelling as she raced after him, Weiss, and Marrow not far behind.

“Where are we going?” Marrow asked in confusion, not entirely sure he should be following, but he had orders to _stay_.

Even if he hated the wording Ironwood used.

Oscar looked to him with a confused frown. “Who are you?” He asked.

“I’m Marrow Amin, one of General Ironwood’s Ace-ops.” Marrow introduced. “And you?” He added.

Oscar blinked then looked as if he understood. “Oscar Pine. Since you’re here, can you take us to see Ironwood, please? Elsewise, I’ll just kick the door in.” Oscar said as he pressed the button for the elevator several times.

Marrow wasn’t quite sure if the man was joking or being completely serious. But decided to edge away from him as subtly as he could in case he wasn’t joking.

/

* * *

/

Oscar was angry.

This type of under the table recovery of pre-fairy-tale bullshit was going to get people _killed_.

And they didn’t even realise what they had! Or that the way they built it was wrong.

He watched as Amin spoke into his earpiece to someone on the other side to let them in to see Ironwood.

“Uh, guys?” Amin said, looking back to them. “Office says he’s busy with the council and can’t see us currently. I mean, I _tried_ to say it was urgent, but they realised I wasn’t Clover…” Amin said.

Oscar could see the hurt and _guilt_ on his face.

This godsdamn Faunus-Human divide! He never understood it! Where had it even come from!?

Oscar growled, and looked to Ironwood’s door angrily, then took out Silvis.

He saw that Ruby wisely took a step back, and with it took Weiss and Amin with her.

Silvis glowed dark purple and he pointed the weapon towards the door’s hinges.

Once they glowed purple he stormed up to the door and roundhoused it open angrily.

Then Oscar stormed Ironwood’s High Castle.

The man himself looked startled.

Before Ironwood could end his call, Oscar slammed his fist near the entry light switch, and everything powered down, ending Ironwood’s call for him.

Weiss, Ruby and Marrow filtered in nervously behind him as Ironwood stood up, confusion marring his face.

“And _no_ , James. This cannot wait.” Oscar growled.

Ironwood blinked and then frowned.

Oscar moved up to the desk and slammed the book down heavily onto it.

“Explain this!” Oscar growled.

Ironwood looked completely complexed as to why Oscar was even mad in the first place.

He looked at saw the room design. “Ah. That’s the Semblance Transference model.” He said, trying to understand why the man in front of him was angry.

Oscar stared at him. “What was your plans for it?” He asked. Danger blared in his voice so loudly that the air around him fizzled with it.

Ironwood blinked away seeing Ozpin for a second.

“I had the idea that Semblances jarred in the hands of others would grant them that Semblance.” Ironwood said.

Oscar stared at him in shock. “That’s what you think this machine does?” He asked.

Ironwood shrugged. “Nothing else seemed to work.” He said simply.

Oscar growled. “No, this _machine_ , as it stood, was a death trap!” He snarled.

Ironwood blinked. “Ah. So, you can read the words—” He stalled when the look Oscar had turned darker.

“It runs on magic, _James_! There’s not enough magic left in the world for anyone to magically fart! Without it, and the poorly translation of _magnets_ should have killed anyone you tried it on!” Oscar yelled.

Suddenly, the words sunk in, and Ironwood glared at Marrow.

“And why am I hearing about this _now_?! I told you to _stay_ and _listen_!” Ironwood demanded.

Marrow flinched thrice in a row, then looked amazed when Weiss stood in front of him protectively.

“He was doing as you _ordered_ , General.” Weiss hissed in anger as Oscar growled.

Ruby stood forward, in the same manner as Weiss.

“And _if_ your doorman had let us in sooner, you would have! They didn’t let us in because none of us was Clover!” Weiss added.

Never had she wanted to throttle Ironwood as much as in the last five minutes.

Ironwood just sighed and sat back down.

“You’re sure it can’t be done?” Ironwood asked.

Oscar cocked his head. “No.” He said firmly.

“Then what do you suggest we use the room for? Developing _trinkets_?” Ironwood asked.

Oscar just shrugged. “It’s still a good way to study different Semblances, your scientists should be happy with that.” Oscar said simply.

He looked over to Weiss. “Right? That was the original purpose, to manifest Semblances and jar them to study them.” Oscar added.

Weiss blinked. “Right!” She stammered. “But…you’re sure it won’t accidentally kill anyone?” She rushed to say.

Oscar looked at her and Ruby and finally felt all his negative emotions, his anger, fizzle away. He finally chuckled softly. “No, now it won’t harm anyone. I’m still not sure if you can manifest Semblances, but that was your original goal. Next time maybe don’t go on translations when you can’t understand the original origin.” Oscar summed up.

Weiss just sighed. “Or just ask you, or Ozpin.” She muttered.

“At least with them, you won’t get the mistranslation of magnets?” Ruby asked.

Weiss just grumbled in annoyance. “I’m never sleeping again.” She muttered.

/

* * *

/

In the end, Ironwood shooed them out, and they ended right back where they started.

Marrow made sure to stick to Weiss like glue when Ironwood glared at him. He wasn’t quite sure what he had done wrong.

He was started to see that some Humans were more agreeable than others. It was just strange to him that the more agreeable ones seemed to be the upcoming Schnee Heiress _and her friends_ , and _not_ his boss.

Weiss put her tome away and made sure to hide her homework considering it was _still_ out in the open and anyone could who spied for her father could see and report it. She felt dread trickle down her spine when she realised how long they had spent away from the room, to begin with.

Scientists were back once Oscar felt it safe enough to let them in, and Ruby went over to the wall in Weiss’ office to reactivate the fireplace.

Soon enough both Weiss and Oscar followed, with Marrow staying by the office door, glaring every so often when a scientist came too close to them.

“Okay, so…” Weiss started, trying not to be awkward, but not exactly achieving it, by the way that she heard Marrow snort behind her, which made her look over her shoulder and playfully glare at him.

Marrow just raised his hands at her, trying _and failing_ to hide his grin.

This Schnee was alright.

Weiss looked back to Oscar and Ruby, whom by now had gravitated back towards each other.

Weiss wouldn’t say aloud that they looked cute. Still looked cute. …They had looked cute ever since they met, Weiss never denied that.

She just sighed, having a feeling that breeching the Jar subject was going to be a _bad idea_.

“…You said before that you can feel Oscar, despite the fact you don’t have his jar, let alone the fact his jar doesn’t exist.” Weiss started.

Everyone saw Oscar flinch.

Weiss wasn’t the only one to realise there was a story there, that perhaps he hadn’t told Ruby yet.

Ruby just nodded, warily. “Yeah. And we know that if Oscar’s isn’t in possession of my jar, everything fades away, and it doesn’t happen when anyone else has it.” She said.

Weiss looked to Oscar. “And…?” She prompted.

Oscar’s nose scrunched up. “I have an idea why, but I would need my own jar to prove it.” He said.

Weiss shrugged. “Well, at least you’re in the right place.” She sighed, then beckoned them out into the lab.

Ruby just groaned. “Oh, _this’ll_ be fun.” She muttered, then looked to her boyfriend. “Don’t actually collapse the building on us, please.” She pleaded.

Oscar just grinned. “I make no such promises!” He crowed.

Ruby groaned.

Why did she ask for this again?

Oscar had made sure that everyone wasn’t in his general vicinity, and well behind the safety glass by the controls.

He looked over to the nearest scientists.

“I’ll need you to grab everyday objects and place them around me periodically in a circle.” He ordered.

The scientist took no chances and _saluted_ before bolting as if Grimm hounds were at his heels.

There was stuff everywhere around him, from books to tumbler glasses, to even natural objects from outside and a retreating scientist, looking as if everything had burned him where they were placed.

Oscar just sighed in exasperation.

 _This was no different than before_.

He shook that thought out of his head before he could fear its consequences.

He notched his head towards the control room.

“Can you still activate the weather controls?” He asked loudly over the room’s hum.

“ _Give me a second_ ,” He heard Weiss say over the intercom. “ _Hot or cold, Oscar?_ ” She asked.

Oscar thought for a second. “Cold. Mild.” He ordered.

He saw Marrow twitch where he had planted himself and resolved to maybe throwing Silvis at Ironwood’s head the next time that he saw him up in his High Castle.

Oscar felt his Aura engage when the temperature slid down a few degrees more then what his body was comfortable with.

He shut his eyes as he readied Silvis out to his side folding out of its hilt, but the gun remained hidden.

Silvis glowed purple then he slammed it into the ground.

All around him glowed dark glittery purple, and the objects around him hummed violently as if they objected the gravity pull and that of the room working to force his Semblance to work visibly.

The room was fighting him, which was what the room was _supposed_ to do, and not kill people while at it.

Oscar held both his arms up as he tried to visualise what exactly his Semblance would look like if it were a physical one like Ruby’s.

His thoughts glided over to his emblem.

A pinecone?

Oscar dropped the objects, and they clattered around him when he focused all his Semblance on the one natural pinecone in the natural objects the scientists had found. 

He opened his eyes to see the pinecone drifting up in front of him, swaying as if battered by winds he couldn’t feel.

“Drop the temperature more!” He yelled.

The room’s temperature dropped well below freezing and he saw the winds buffering the pinecone change to match and saw snow and ice clumping together on its spines.

He watched as the snow and ice tinged purple from the gravity and the winds turned a greenish colour.

Oscar side-eyed the control room. “This is probably the best I’m gonna get it!” He yelled.

As soon as he did, a scientist with a jar rushed forward and captured the pinecone then slammed the lid shut.

It was a few nervous seconds once Oscar stopped using his Semblance as they all leaned closer to see if the pinecone would dissipate.

The lid locked and the pinecone stayed levitated.

“Woohoo!” Ruby actually yelled causing everyone to jump in fright.

“Would you stop that!” Weiss screeched in fright as Oscar came around the barrier.

Oscar glared at the technician who had his jar.

The poor man immediately handed it over.

Weiss just sighed and looked to Oscar. “Okay, your theory?” She asked.

No one was really surprised to see Oscar toss the jar to Ruby.

Or that she barely caught it.

Marrow just hung his head in defeat.

How had these people saved the world again?

Marrow’s attention was taken away by another scientist running in looking pale and frightened.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Marrow asked in concern.

The young girl looked to him and pointed to the main door. “A … A visitor?” She questioned.

Marrow cocked his head, shrugged, and went to see what the damage was.

He opened the door with the override Weiss gave him and froze from the inside out.

There looking as blank as always was the matriarch of the Schnee family.

Yeah. Marrow had a bad feeling about this.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marrow and Weiss walk into a lab. ...It sounds like the starting of a bad joke, but Weiss can't tell how she got there either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to get this out before I head off to work because I was writing next chapter way late last night, but I managed to do it! So heck yeah!  
> So I apologise for any typos you see, my editing system decided it didn't want to work at 4:30AM in the morning, much like me.
> 
> I'm also going to throw hands at an immortal lady which I'm so damn glad I yeeted her off this mortal coil before I knew this fact, even if her damn shadow continues to haunt this damn story until the end of time.

_I think the sky is falling. It’s not the rain coming down: The world is finally over. I’ve gone and broken my crown, there’s ashes and there’s wreckage: all are lost in this town. There’s nothing left here now. The walls were so strong. They stood for so long. How could I be so wrong? Kingdoms fall. Empire’s break. The good, the bad: the price we’ve paid. Kingdoms fall and worlds collide: It’s now or never, do or die. The fire has been started: it’s going to burn all our sins. You opened up the floodgates: and let the troubled waters in. The city’s drowning quickly:  
And this is how it ends._

_—[Red Means Run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzlVjgKzyBY)_

_Other Music:_

_[Robert Etoll](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkkoG0jpKzM) — Surprise!_

_[MAGIC OF LiFE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZglJrt4oR2U) —_ _『Player_ _』_

Chapter 5

Marrow was helpless to stare down the Schnee matriarch.

He didn’t want to take his eyes off her in case she did something.

They just got this room working.

He did have to wonder if he called for Weiss if she would actually come.

And…which side she would be on.

“Hey, uh…Weiss?” Marrow called, over his shoulder.

“Coming!” He heard her call.

Huh. She actually would.

Marrow heard her stall before he saw her stand next to him.

“Mother,” Weiss said, her voice full of blank surprise.

Marrow heard Ruby’s surprised gasp from behind him.

“Weiss.” Willow greeted.

Weiss stood there and blinked as if she wasn’t quite sure what she was seeing was an apparition or not.

“You should probably be concerned with how I knew where to find you.” Willow added.

Weiss felt her spine tingle in fear.

“He knows?” Weiss asked.

Marrow felt like he was in-between a war as he looked between the two.

“It’s your best bet.” Willow said.

Weiss flinched.

“Do you have a place where we can talk privately?” Willow added still as sour and blank as when she first appeared.

Nothing about the lab screamed private.

Or secure, apparently.

Weiss just nodded mutely before looking to Marrow then to Ruby and Oscar.

“We’ll wait here unless you need us to clear out?” Ruby voiced.

Weiss shook her head. “Stay here. I’ll be back.” Weiss muttered.

No-one stopped her from scampering off into her office to grab a book.

Marrow was in two states of mind.

He had orders from Ironwood: stay with the Schnee Heiress (and protect her if need be) and patrol the room and science building for trespassers.

He could do only one of those things. Either way, he would either be stuck with Rose and her somehow destructive boyfriend, or Weiss and her _Insane Matriarchal Mother_.

Tough choice.

He eyed Weiss, who looked as uncomfortable as he felt.

She shuffled back to Ruby. “Can I trust you guys to not let anyone else through that door until I come back?” She asked.

Ruby snorted but gave out that funny salute that Marrow was sure wasn’t technically either Atlesian _or_ Beacon military or Huntress.

“I feel like I should remind you I _was_ your team leader.” Ruby snorted in full offence.

Oscar snorted hysterically.

Weiss glared. “A fluke at best.” She muttered.

Marrow tried not to flinch when Weiss looked back to him.

“Are you able to come, or do you need to be somewhere else?” Weiss asked.

He damn well tried to make sure his tail wasn’t wagging.

“I can come with you if you think I need to.” Marrow answered.

Marrow picked up _her_ distaste a split second before Weiss did.

And, boy, did Weiss _glare_ at her own mother. “He can come if I say he can, Mother.” She hissed, almost angrily.

Willow just sighed and put up her hands tiredly. “Time is not on your hands, Weiss.” She reminded.

Weiss glared at the Schnee personal AK-200 which wasn’t holding a gun, but a box, as soon as they left the lab.

Then she completely ignored it and her mother to turn to Marrow.

“Do you know of any good spots for a private and confidential, _untraceable_ , conversation?” She asked.

Marrow heard the high sarcasm that he had gotten used to hearing that bit and spat but had no personal engender to him as a Faunus.

He cocked his head as he thought about the layout of the science building, as leaving would take too long, seeing as they apparently had a time limit, but _she_ hadn’t given specifics.

“There is one unused lab, three stories up I can hack to shut down.” Marrow said thoughtfully.

He noted the look of surprised morph into appreciation. “If you could.” Weiss said.

Marrow shrugged and was tempted to take her hand, but he thought it best not.

Especially with _her_ five steps away.

/

* * *

/

Marrow stayed by the exit for good measure once he was sure Willow would take a seat at the lone desk.

He made sure all the feeds were down, both audio and visual.

Weiss had made sure to stand between her own mother and in the way of Willow looking directly at Marrow.

Something he saw and gratefully appreciated.

If there were some Humans could take a Faunus down in mere seconds, the Schnee’s and Ironwood would be at the top.

All they had to do was spin the truth their way, and he would have no footing legally.

Even if _their_ truth wasn’t totally accurate.

While he was on better terms with Weiss…

Willow had the power to spin Weiss any tale that could benefit her at his expense.

And he wasn’t too sure if Weiss wouldn’t agree to it.

Downing one Faunus for the sake of many, right?

That was _righteous_.

Neither Weiss nor Marrow could hide their collective flinches when Willow looked up, with a sudden serious expression on her face.

“So, I hear you wish to take over the Schnee name.” Willow said bluntly.

“How!?” Weiss was saying immediately.

The look the elder gave made Marrow’s skin crawl.

“You can’t have that book for too long before Jacques knows it’s missing.” Willow answered.

Weiss cringed.

“Does he know?” She asked.

Willow shrugged offhandedly. “He knows you have it, and one can assume _why_ you have it.” She said.

Weiss swore under her breath.

This was bad.

This was _super_ bad.

No closer was she in her answer in getting her father off his hierarchal throne and bettering anyone who worked in her name.

Marrow couldn’t help his own flinch.

He understood what was going on. If _he_ knew Weiss had her Homework, He would come crashing down on her head so fast, she would never see the light of day again. He doubted that even he, as high up as he was, would ever see her again.

And so many more Faunus would die.

“How long would he need to officially write me out of it legally?” Weiss asked.

“Anywhere from a few hours to a few days, depending on whether or not he has already started the official paperwork.” Willow answered.

Weiss cringed.

Doomed. Everyone was _doomed_.

Weiss slumped. “No…” She muttered in despair.

Marrow watched both of them, feeling Weiss’ despair as his own, and watched as _she_ looked to her daughter critically, before sighing loudly.

“Did you think that once my _husband_ told me he married me for my name that I wouldn’t hide all evidence of how to legally take him down?” She demanded.

Marrow’s eyes blew up as his eyebrows rose in surprise. There was the power behind the name he had seen in Weiss.

Weiss literally stood to attention and took a step forward.

“There’s a way?!” She nearly demanded.

Willow rolled her eyes.

“Of course there is, just one I could never take.” Willow replied darkly.

Weiss sided her head. “It’s bad?” She asked. “How bad?” She added.

Marrow felt his spine crawl in dread.

Willow motioned for her AK-200, who came along and deposited the box on the desk and stood back behind its master mutely.

“You may not like it.” Willow warned as she pushed the box towards her wayward daughter.

Weiss took it silently and opened the lid to find a binding of laws.

She read it silently and her stomach dropped with each word she read.

There was no way.

Absolutely no way she could take over in the timeframe of _hours_ with the only legal way left open to her.

Weiss slumped. “This is not an option,” Weiss muttered in despair, not bothering to wipe the budding tears away.

Marrow watched in surprise that even Willow looked sullen at her remark.

“There is truly no one close you could ask?” Willow asked.

Weiss sniffed and shook her head. “I can’t ask anyone of this. It’s legal, and _binding_ until _broken_.” Weiss muttered.

“Then I suggest you look for a mutual beneficiary.” Willow started.

She was nonplussed when Weiss immediately looked up and glared.

“This goes beyond that! I refuse to become like you! There is no one close to me who would willingly do this!” Weiss snarled.

Marrow’s eyes disappeared. “What? Is there a clause that you have to commit murder or something before you can become queen?” He asked.

He valiantly ignored Willow’s glare and focused more on Weiss’ sudden surprise.

“What? No!” Weiss exclaimed.

“Then how is it seriously that bad?” He asked.

Weiss sighed and held the bridge of her nose between her forefingers.

“No. For me to legally take over from my father? I need to be married, and I need to keep that standing elsewise he can remove me as long as he lives.” Weiss remarked.

Marrow stood there and blinked.

“…Oh.” He said.

Weiss couldn’t help but snort at his uncomfortable tone.

“No one marries for love, Weiss,” Willow reminded. “Treat it like a transaction. Thinking elsewise is a child’s dream.” She added.

Weiss couldn’t help but glare at her mother’s words.

She could think of two people who were in this very building who were planning on _just_ that.

…Whenever they got around to setting a date for that union, it wouldn’t be seen as a _transaction_.

Weiss sighed. “I have no one who I can think of that would willingly agree to marry me on these terms, and with a clause to not divorce until my father carks it.” Weiss said.

Willow shrugged. “People have married for fewer reasons. And you, my dear, are running out of time to make excuses.” Willow reminded.

Weiss nearly threw her hands up in annoyance. “What do you expect me to do!? Walk the streets of Atlas, asking for anyone willing to a marriage of convenience right that second?!” Weiss raged.

Willow shrugged. “Again, for the right price, people will do anything.” She said.

Weiss glared. “Not if they have high demands.” She said.

“You say that as if _you_ don’t.” Willow snarked.

Marrow was starting to become even more uncomfortable when he saw Weiss’s glyphs start to try and manifest around her in her rage.

“Whoa, whoa, ladies!” He called in a panic. “Keep the war cool, please. I don’t get paid enough to hide bodies.” He said.

Willow sighed and stood up. Weiss jumping to follow decorum that was smacked into her from a young age, while Marrow almost stood to attention.

“You know what you need to do. Work on the assumption he has already started the legalities.” Willow surmised.

Marrow raced out the way of Willow making for the exit and found himself side-by-side with an exasperated Weiss.

“So…you gotta find a hubby? Because you probably need the possibility of a biological heir for it to be even legal, huh.” Marrow asked as soon as the door closed on Willow and her AK-200.

“…I wish you weren’t so blunt.” Weiss groaned.

“That’s my middle name!” Marrow crowed.

“No, it’s not.” Weiss snarked.

Marrow could only chuckle at her happily.

Weiss collapsed into the chair her mother had vacated, slumped, and looking defeated.

Marrow eyed her, genuinely worried about her.

“What’s got you like this?” Marrow asked.

Weiss looked to him. “It’s not just that I would need to marry to make this work. It’s that whoever I ask, will need to be protected from my father at all times. Hell, maybe even from Ironwood, and his military. And I don’t know who would agree to look over their shoulder for homeland assassin’s every five seconds without there being big demands for me, and I worry I wouldn’t be able to fulfil them.” Weiss worried.

Marrow walked over to her and sat on the table, causing her to look up at him.

He was frowning. “Okay, work it out, what would your demands be?” He asked.

She raised an eyebrow at him. “To be literally married?” She asked he nodded her on. She looked at him exasperatedly. “To be able to legally take over the Schnee Dust Company I need to be legally married until my father is dead, at such a time I can legally denounce my brother access to the company and divorce only then safely.” She said.

Marrow blinked. “Is…Is that the one bad point? Possible assassin’s? And, naturally being married to you until your father’s death?” He asked.

She eyed him. “Wouldn’t everyone consider being married to a _Schnee_ be a Bad Point?” She asked.

Marrow scoffed. “That was a given.” He said.

She playfully whacked his leg. “Hey!” She retorted.

“Seriously, though?” He urged her.

Weiss just shrugged. “That’s the only ones I can think of currently in freak out mode,” Weiss said.

Marrow couldn’t help but chuckle, and promptly stop when she glared at him. “Okay. Good Points, then?” He asked as he held his arms up.

Weiss rolled her eyes. “Aside from the perks of being called a Schnee?” She asked and glared at him. “Yes! That is a Good Point! There is diplomatic immunity in all Kingdoms, a seat on the Atlas Council, should they wish it, a say in Schnee Dust Company policies…” She trailed off, looking unsure if she had left something out.

Marrow blinked at her dumbfoundedly.

“And that’s off the top of your head?” He said with a tone of incredulousness. “The pros and cons don’t match,” He immediately pointedly out.

She looked at him. “Don’t sell the possible assassin’s out so quickly.” She warned.

Marrow shrugged. “That’s what Aura and Semblances are for.” He advised.

Weiss shot to her feet.

“There is still the problem of someone needing to agree to it!” She hissed in panic.

Marrow stared at her as if she had grown two heads.

“Why…why are you looking at me like that?” She added.

“I am literally agreeing to it. Did you not get that?” He asked incredulously.

Weiss stood there dumbfounded and in shock. “Absolutely not! I didn’t get that at all!” She yelled.

Marrow just laughed. “I can deal with Possible Assassin’s, Weiss.” He countered. “ _As long_ as I get that Diplomatic Immunity you were talking about.” He told her with a wink.

“Yes. Absolutely.” Weiss found herself agreeing.

./.

Suddenly, Weiss found herself writing up a _marriage contract_.

How had her life ended up here?

A marriage contract between herself and Marrow Amin.

Soon to be Marrow Amin-Schnee. Benefactor to all Schnee name.

There were clauses, to be sure. Prenuptial agreements. Over what happens when Jacques Schnee kicked the bucket, then and only then could the marriage agreement be dissolved between them, and not a second sooner, on the grounds of his death and the denouncement of Whitley. Agreement of transference of power that granted Marrow Amin- _Schnee_ the power of immunity in all Kingdom’s, including on the soil in which the contract was devised. A joint seat on the Atlas Council as well as joint mutual power over the happenings of the Schnee Dust Company and its peoples.

All the while, Weiss made sure to keep checking to make sure she was still Heiress to said company and she wasn’t making Marrow marry her for five seconds. Because dissolving the agreement took longer than agreeing to one.

There was no agreement on _making_ an heir, leaving that area open and grey, and Weiss would soon as kill Jacques off herself before subjecting Marrow to _that_. There was no original clause stating there needed a timeframe for an heir, just the possibility for one by unionised blood.

She wasn’t too sure how likely Faunus traits carried on, but she wasn’t going to risk there being a debate over it, over any _child_ , traited or not, hers or otherwise.

Over her dead body.

How Weiss got to where she was, she didn’t know.

But she knew Marrow would be all too willing to put up with Probable Assassins in order to remake the Schnee Dust Company into something better for every worker, that and he kept his job with the Ace-Ops.

Weiss didn’t mind. Just as long as legally his name changed. He could keep his Ace-Op secrets.

Weiss stared at her tablet, at the hastily drawn up _and_ signed marriage contract a little dumbfounded before she listlessly handed it over to Marrow.

Her technical soon-to-be-husband if he signed the agreement.

Marrow took her tablet and read over her words, trying to see any fault.

He then looked to her. “Don’t we need a judicial?” He questioned.

Weiss shook her head. “Not in this case, it gets filed, then looked over by a judicial, should you or I wish it, if not, once signed by both parties it becomes binding and legal as soon as it’s published. It will, of course, take a few weeks before your name changes publicly and officially on your Huntsmen ID without you needing to do anything.” Weiss informed.

“You should have bought me a drink first.” Marrow remarked.

“Sign it, and I will!” Weiss hissed back, just as playfully.

Marrow just sighed dramatically, but he signed the document and gave the tablet back to Weiss.

Weiss made sure to check her status, as still a legal Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, she published her marriage contract, and with its upload became married and Jacques Schnee became a ticking time bomb.

She slumped in her seat in relief.

Marrow laughed at her, and she shoved him with her boot.

“So, how long until all hell breaks loose over the fact that I now bear your horrible last name?” Marrow asked gleefully.

Weiss glared at him. “You agreed to that.” She said.

Marrow feigned being shot and grasped his chest as he leant forward a little. “A horrible decision, really.” He vowed.

Almost as if Marrow jinxed it, did emergency claxons suddenly start blaring in warning.

Marrow and Weiss blinked at each other.

“I didn’t mean it quite that literally….” Marrow panicked.

“You just had to ask.” Weiss sighed woefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! _Atlesian Malamutes_ is a thing now? Don't know how it happened? Yeah, me neither, except its the biggest f@#% you! to Jacques Schnee I have ever seen, and I love it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And then I said, "How much Lore can I shove into ten pages?" and thus, this chapter was made with a side order of angst, because that wasn't planned, but here we are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Strap in! We're going to Lore-Ville! That's it, that's literally the chapter.  
> Did anyone take bets on what the Jars mean for Oscar and Ruby? I'm curious.  
> Also please don't hurt me?  
> This technically wasn't supposed to get angst, at all, but ~~this is why we can't have nice things.~~

_Come what may we’ve lived a lifetime: What matters to me? Forget the future, I’ve made my mind, you’re all that I see. Waves come crashing down and the winds scream round and round. But I’ll wait out this storm, I’ll wait out this storm with you. Come what will I’ve had enough now. What’s left to decide? Faced with this there is no question: I’d choose you every time comes crashing down. And our world burns to the ground, but I’ll wait out this storm. I’m not leaving anymore. I’ve found it’s you I’m fighting for. And even if this is the end.  
I swear I’ll never leave your side again._

_—[Koethe](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjDDHpJ2SJY)_

_Other music:_

_[dodie& Tom Walker](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPFC5UlORL4) — Human_

_[dodie](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGHpsX_Tcgk) — Ready Now_

Chapter 6

Oscar glared at the technician who had his jar.

The poor man immediately handed it over.

Weiss just sighed and looked to Oscar. “Okay, your theory?” She asked.

No one was really surprised to see Oscar toss the jar to Ruby.

Or that she barely caught it.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Marrow asked the frightened-looking scientist.

The young girl looked to him and pointed to the main door. “A … A visitor?” She questioned.

Marrow cocked his head, shrugged, and left Weiss’ office.

Oscar looked at his jar in Ruby’s hands curiously, before looking back to Weiss.

“Give me a little time to see if I’m right, then I’ll tell you.” He said.

Weiss shrugged. “That’s fair—” She stalled when she heard Marrow call for her, and she looked over her shoulder. “Coming!” She called.

Ruby wasn’t too sure what to make of the women and as soon as they saw her, made both Weiss and Oscar freak out.

“Mother,” Weiss said, her voice full of surprise.

Ruby couldn’t help but gasp in surprise.

Because, yeah, okay, _now_ it made sense why everyone was freaking out.

“Weiss. You should probably be concerned with how I knew where to find you.” Willow started.

Ruby caught the vile from Oscar’s side of things.

That was how to greet a daughter? No thanks.

Cookies were a much better greeting. Even in her hazy memories of her own mother, could she agree this way was terribly cold and transaction-like.

“He knows?” Weiss asked.

“It’s your best bet,” Willow replied.

Ruby had a bad feeling about this, and she knew Oscar felt the same way.

“Do you have a place where we can talk privately?” Willow added, still as cold and impersonal.

Welp, if Ruby ever became a mother, she knew what pointers to not take up on.

Weiss just nodded mutely before looking to Marrow then to Ruby and Oscar.

“We’ll wait here unless you need us to clear out?” Ruby voiced.

Weiss shook her head. “Stay here. I’ll be back.” Weiss muttered.

No-one stopped her from scampering off into her office to grab a book.

Weiss went back to Ruby. “Can I trust you guys to not let anyone else through that door until I come back?” She asked.

Ruby snorted but gave out her salute. “I feel like I should remind you I _was_ your team leader.” Ruby snorted, fully offended.

Oscar snorted hysterically.

Weiss glared. “A fluke at best.” She muttered.

Weiss then looked to Marrow. “Are you able to come, or do you need to be somewhere else?” Weiss asked.

“I can come with you if you think I need to.” Marrow answered.

For some reason it caused Weiss to glare at her mother in distaste. “He can come if I say he can, Mother.” She hissed, almost angrily.

Willow just sighed and put up her hands tiredly. “Time is not on your hands, Weiss.” She reminded.

Ruby and Oscar watched on awkwardly as they all left.

“So…That…was awkward…” Ruby muttered.

Oscar just sighed in a jumble of emotions.

Ruby looked to him. “…They’ll be alright with her, right?” Ruby asked nervously.

Oscar looked to her. “Willow wouldn’t intentionally harm her daughter. I can’t say that about Amin though…” Oscar muttered.

Ruby looked back to the closed door. “I’m sure Weiss won’t allow him to get hurt.” She said firmly.

It made Oscar chuckle. “Alright, back to this…” He started mutely.

Ruby cocked her head. “And this is…?” She prompted.

Oscar grinned at her, then walked back into the office, Ruby followed and wasn’t too surprised when Oscar closed the door behind her.

He just sighed. “Mind me checking something out before I tell you?” He asked.

Ruby frowned at the crisscross of emotions she could feel him going through. “As long as you tell me afterwards.” She said.

Oscar nodded then unhooked Ruby’s Semblance Jar from his belt only to place it on Weiss’ desk.

Ruby felt his emotions dull a little, but she still had his jar in her hand and figured she needed to do the same and placed his on the desk.

“So, what now?” She asked once she did and felt him disappearing from her mind altogether.

Oscar eyed her almost critically and she almost scowled at him for it.

Oscar just shook his head and sighed as if he needed to expel something, then walked to stand in front of her.

“See if you can find me.” He started.

Ruby frowned. “But you’re right in front of me.” She said, exasperated.

Oscar flicked her forehead, making her yelp. “In here, Ruby.” He said, his tone seemed to toe the line of unfathomable patience but also exasperation as well.

Ruby chuckled nervously.

“Right…I knew that…” She muttered.

She ignored Oscar looking at her with one eyebrow raised.

Yeah. She totally didn’t.

But she closed her eyes and looked within her mind to where Oscar normally was whenever he held her jar.

And found nothing.

She huffed in annoyance, opened her eyes to see his expectant expression, and felt like she was letting him down for some reason, somehow.

Ruby looked to his Semblance jar, focusing on the blooming pinecone, shut her eyes, and tried again.

./.

Oscar heard her huff of annoyance as he waited nervously.

If he was right…

If he was right, this type of bond had only happened once in all of the lives he could remember not-living.

And he was afraid of what it meant for Ruby.

And he should have seen it from the start.

Seen it coming a mile away.

But instead, it bulldozed him, not quite like the first time, but at the same time, _it did_.

But if he was right, and he had to tell _Ruby_ that.

It could only go two ways.

He should have seen it when he realised that _this_ Ruby crossed the entirety of Anima looking for him.

He should have seen it in the way that the Ruby that now never _was_ had been quick to strike up a friendship with him.

And he should be _joyous_ about it.

Because _he knew_ that without the jars in hand, he knew that Ruby was still present in his mind.

_He knew_ what that meant.

And he should be glad that the fairy-tale myth of _soulmates_ still lingered.

But then he remembered the first time.

And how badly it ended.

_A civilisation was torn from the map because of it_.

He watched as Ruby stood with her eyes closed.

…Oscar wasn’t sure if he would survive the second time ending the same way.

He sighed and shook his head.

What was he doing? Thinking like that?

Surely, he had learnt plenty from the previous time.

He needed to stop treating Ruby like she was about to end the country based on the information he was about to give her.

Oscar watched as she searched her mind, he had procrastinated long enough over this.

Not telling her would only make things worse, and ignoring it, being ignorant of it, was a death sentence for them both.

He trusted her enough to not end a country, just as well as he trusted her to not end his life with her eyes.

Even if the fear was still there, he trusted her more.

She was better than that.

Oscar couldn’t even help the small smile he made the exact moment he felt her find him without the help of the jars. It even grew wider when her eyes popped open in surprise.

“I found you!” She exclaimed in pure surprise and happiness.

He couldn’t help the startled laugh it pulled from him.

He couldn’t help but watch her adorable little cheer as she bounded in celebratory.

She turned to him. “So! This is what your theory was? What does it mean? I mean it _means_ something, right?” She asked as quick as her Semblance.

Oscar couldn’t help but stare at her, long enough Ruby looked back to him.

“Oscar? What’s wrong?” She asked.

Oscar sighed a little and sat up on the table, Ruby moved around to stand in front of him, with a small, concerned frown on her face.

“This type of bond is rare, and not something I’ve seen for a long time.” He started.

Ruby sided her head. “Is it bad?” She asked.

He looked to her sharply and she almost took a step back. “Does it feel bad for you?” He asked.

Ruby blinked, then immediately shook her head.

“No, it doesn’t feel bad.” She answered.

She didn’t exactly get why he sighed in relief, but she trusted him to talk to her, _eventually_ , about it, in any case.

“I’ve only seen this once before, before when magic was a thing, and Semblances weren’t.” Oscar said.

Ruby only knew so much about magic, and most of it was a jumble of feelings and thoughts she caught from him over this bond-y thing.

“Personally, or from afar?” She asked.

Ruby watched as he held up one hand and just stared at it.

“Personally.” He muttered.

Ruby blinked at the marred emotions she got from him, not completely understanding them. But she got the feeling she needed to _listen_ and sat next to him gently.

“And…?” She prompted.

It caused him to look up from his hand to her. She watched as he looked at her, then seemed to lean back, with his hands supporting him on the desk, and he looked to the ceiling.

“Long before the age of fairy tales, there was this idea that at the beginning of all time, peoples had the sole destiny to find their others, those who held half of their being. And they were given what we relate to magic now in order to do so. Eons pass, and it was said no one found their soul other, and eventually higher beings visited Solum to take plunder and proclaim themselves gods.” Oscar told as he looked to her. “It was then the idea of soul others was lost and forgotten.” He added.

“Until you found yours?” She asked.

She almost laughed when he scrunched his nose up. “Not _mine_.” He hissed.

Now she giggled. “Sorry. A _previous_ you.” She said in mirth.

He narrowed his eyes at her, and she snorted.

He still glared at her, until she motioned that he could continue.

“It was during the age of fairy tales that another version of Oz found his soul other.” Oscar stated.

He paused when he saw Ruby’s look. “Do you remember his name?” She asked gently.

Oscar blinked. “Ozma.” He added after a second to remember it.

Ruby sided her head. “So, he and his soul other? They lived up to the fairy tales, and live happily ever after?” She asked.

He gave her an abhorrent look, that she immediately raised her hands in defence.

“Do you remember Ozma’s soul other’s name?” Ruby asked.

Oscar gave her a look that she couldn’t quite describe, and thought for a second, she could see worry and apathy at the same time.

Then he looked away from her again worryingly.

“Salem.” He said.

Everything in her mind came to a halt.

A dead stop.

Everything suddenly made more sense.

How had it gone from mythical fairy tale soul other’s to… to…!

Every time Oscar, _and Ozpin_ , talked about Salem, it was always with a deep-seated age-old fear.

And every time Salem spoke to _them_ …

It was always “ _dearest_ ” this and “ _dearest_ ” that, with it only ever in the tone of hatred.

“How does the tale go from soul other’s to …?” Ruby stuttered.

Oscar gave out an exhale. “Ozma died.” He stated.

Ruby stared and blinked. “That’s…that’s _it_? He _died_?” Ruby asked. “He died, and she went to hell!?” She added, not being able to comprehend.

“By the time Oz found her again, she had poisoned herself, and what was left of her bond to Ozma, I’m guessing in defiance to him dying, she found a way to make herself live longer by dealing deals with the Grimm. While Ostra tried to help her heal, the damage had already been done, and he didn’t have the bond Ozma had with her, even if he remembered it. Everything he tried to build with her came crumbling down like the walls of Turris around them.” He told.

Ruby watched as he looked to her, tears forming in his eyes.

“So many died because of it, Ruby.” He struggled. He then closed his eyes and hung his head. “So many…” He muttered.

Ruby watched on a little stunned.

There was so much unsaid, that he had never said.

Salem had reacted worse than her father had when he lost her mother. Could she say, in complete faith, that she would do no worse if she lost Oscar? That she could be any worse than Salem?

“Do I remind you of who Salem used to be?” Ruby asked quietly, not sure if she actually wanted a response.

Oscar sniffed, and used his arm to wipe his tears away, sitting more upright then slumped and looked to her with a small frown.

“While we all have the capacity to become what Salem became to some degree, I trust you as much to not destroy an entire civilisation as much as I trust you not to glare at me too hard.” Oscar told her.

Ruby pulled up her legs to sit cross-legged.

“You’ve known about this way before we both had jars, huh?” She asked.

Oscar flinched but nodded mutely.

Ruby regarded him. “You thought I’d react badly to being told you’re my soul other?” She asked.

“More like I was afraid of history repeating.” He muttered.

She sided her head. “Then we gotta be better than this, Oscar.” She said firmly, causing him to look at her with wide eyes. “If there is something wrong, you need to tell me. If you get too caught up in the lives you can remember, _you need to tell me_. If I do something that raises alarm bells, _tell me_. Don’t let it fester. I refuse to let history repeat, when we can learn from it.” She said heatedly.

Oscar was helpless to nod along.

“Same with me, Ruby. I mean it.” Oscar replied.

Ruby looked at him incredulously. “I mean, duh. This entire thing could have been avoided; you could have had so much more sleep then you had because you were worrying when you could have just told me from the beginning why it was upsetting you. I am going to be mad at you, even if I can understand where you’ve come from, but I am annoyed you let it go on for so long like this. But even if I am mad at you, I’m not going to glare at you like I would Grimm or decide to go genocidal because of it.” Ruby told him.

Oscar flinched at the fact he had allowed himself to think Ruby would go the way Salem had. Where they had failed, he swore he and Ruby wouldn’t.

And that started with trust and no secrets.

“No secrets, huh?” He muttered.

Ruby eyed him. “Do you know how to not keep any?” She asked cheekily.

Oscar scrunched his nose up. “Surely, I’m allowed some! You’re not allowed to know your birthday present!” He screeched.

Ruby laughed. “Fine. Keep _that_ secret.” She griped.

She then just sighed and bumped her shoulder with his.

“Seriously, though,” She started. “If we’re gonna be better then those before us, those Big Secrets? Don’t have them, especially if you know they’re bad. They need to be talked about if they’re going to affect us in the long run, even if you suddenly remember them after a nightmare or some stray thought or event.” Ruby said.

Oscar lent his head against hers. “I promise, Ruby.” He said.

Ruby smiled smally and nuzzled up into him.

“Don’t think for one second that when I get up, I’m not smacking you.” She reminded.

“Oh, come on!” Oscar insisted, pulling away to see her snide grin. He barely saw her fist thump down on his head until he felt it, and he reared back and squawked.

“Belay that. I just did.” Ruby noted.

“…I deserved that.” Oscar admitted.

“Any more Big Secrets I need to know about?” Ruby asked.

Oscar blinked. “Not that I can recall right now?” He asked even himself.

Ruby snorted.

Suddenly the alarm claxon blared out, and the light dimmed red in alarm.

Oscar immediately brought Ruby back into his arms protectively.

“Why’s it going off?” Ruby asked.

“It’s a proximity alert.” Oscar said.

Ruby finally got out of his grip and slid off the table and went over to the weapons storage closet to pull out Crescent Rose and toss Ventus Silvis over to Oscar. Oscar just snorted and followed

Ruby turned and glared. “I should hit you again for that.” She hissed playfully.

Oscar just laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> excuse me your, Honour, they are _Idiot Soulmates._


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oscar goes from Little Shit Mode to Ex-Wizard to ** _slaps shoulder_ ** fuck 'em up, Kid! in the span of not many pages. Marrow wants to throw hands, and I'm inclined to let him. Qrow doesn't know what's going on, but he's not here to be yelled at. He and Clover interact for one (1) scene, is this Fair Game Material? Oz gets hugs because I need hugs. Did I write the equivariant to at least 2 pages of Latin conversation? Yes. Yes, I did, fuck 'em up, boys!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I literally jumped out of bed to give you this on a Sunday night because I remembered suddenly that I polled last week on the US!Discord that this chapter would come out today.  
> So, thanks, brain.  
> I'm going back to bed now.

_Sands are shifting, do I walk it all the same? Am I drifting through this person I became? Every step I’m taking points my armour towards a cautious path, but this ship ain’t turning back. Plan is changing with no telling where to go. Trust is dangerous, so we’re moving on our own. Every shot I’m making points my armour towards a cautious path, but there’s a fire behind the mask, to find the way home. Every fight I’m diving deeper in this war of right and wrong: but I’m right where I belong. So, bring it all, I feel it in my bones: this search for something more. Unbroken code: the only way I know, this life I’m fighting for:  
to find the way home._

_—[Ben Schuller](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO8bF061xgQ)_

_Other Music:_

_Taku Iwasaki —[Black Cat](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iztqTC-C90g) | Kuroki Neko_

_Taku Iwasaki —[Blood of the Beast](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx2EnbBlkuU) | Yajuu no Chi_

Chapter 7

Marrow flinched when his Scroll started dinging, then in surprise when he saw it was _General Ironwood_ calling him directly.

“Yes, sir?” He immediately answered, looking over to Weiss who looked alarmed.

“ _Where are you right now?_ ” Ironwood asked.

Marrow couldn’t pinpoint his emotions through his Scroll.

“With Weiss, sir.” Marrow said.

“ _Where are Miss Rose and Oscar?_ ” Ironwood asked immediately.

Marrow frowned. Why did Oscar get to be on a first-name basis?

“In Weiss’ lab, sir.” Marrow responded.

“ _I need you back there right away, I’m sending back up your way,_ ” Ironwood said.

Marrow saw the flinch Weiss made, and he motioned the door. “Yes, sir, can I ask why?” He asked as he moved hurriedly with Weiss, not taking a second to overthink that he automatically put his free hand on the small of her back to keep her close, to make sure she kept up with him.

“ _They have been briefed, hurry back to them, Amin._ ” He ordered, then the line dropped out.

“Yikes.” Marrow muttered, then started to run, making sure that Weiss kept up by taking her hand.

He had a bad feeling about this.

/

* * *

/

The only way the door opened was with Weiss’ override key card.

Which as soon as Marrow ushered Weiss through, he immediately locked back up.

“What’s going on!?” Ruby was yelling over the claxons.

The scientists were running everywhere making sure to lock information down into drives.

Weiss shook her head. “We’re not sure either…” Weiss explained.

Oscar sided his head. “It must be something for the proxy alarm to sound off, though.” He said.

Everyone looked at him.

Marrow found himself frowning. This kid knew more than he let on.

“Where did you say you hailed from?” Marrow asked.

“Mistral.” Oscar replied, with a hint of a grin.

Yeah. That didn’t help. At all, with how the kid knew Atlas protocol.

Suddenly the door was beeping, and Marrow swung around, and in front of Weiss, while he saw Oscar do the same for Ruby, his weapon, _if that was a metal stick Marrow was going to throw hands_ , out and ready.

The beeps then coincided with Ace-Op override, and Marrow relaxed only a little, then fully when the door opened and Clover Ebi was standing there.

“Clover!” Marrow announced.

The man grinned. “We’re here to take you to the General.” He said, in a way that it was a direct order.

Marrow found himself saluting. “And the reason for the claxons?” He asked.

Clover eyed them all.

“Let’s just say we have new information that is alarming for our guests.” He said.

This made them even more confused.

“Huh?” They all asked.

Clover just sighed. “Just come with me, and I’ll explain where we can’t be shot at.” He said.

That got them moving pretty quickly.

Oscar gave a look to Ruby when he felt she was about to ask, tugged her hand a little.

_Ask when we’re safe._ He said without words.

_Rude._ Ruby replied.

Oscar couldn’t help his amused snort.

/

* * *

/

What Oscar knew from the claxons, the safety detail, and the way the Ace-Ops were acting: Atlas was no longer safe for himself and Ruby. He wasn’t too sure if Weiss would be or not. It really did depend on the reason. And if they thought he and Ruby needed to be taken directly to Ironwood with an escort? Then it was _bad_.

Oscar couldn’t tell anyone why he felt like punching Ironwood in the face as soon as he set foot near the General. But he rolled with it.

He saw Winter off to the side, holding her tablet, looking concerned about whatever was on there.

And the Ace-Ops (minus Marrow) set up guard around the room, worryingly.

Something told Weiss she wasn’t allowed to greet her sister.

“Sir?” Ruby started. “You called for us? What’s going on?” She asked.

Ironwood turned to her and seemed to look her up and down with a frown marring his face that even Oscar couldn’t place.

But it unnerved him a little.

“There are some details you need to know,” Ironwood said. “I have just finished talking to Ozpin.” He added.

Both Oscar and Ruby cringed.

Yeah. This wasn’t going to go down well.

Suddenly, the room darkened, and a projection screen lit up from the middle console.

There lit up around the room were police files, of missing persons, and some that were dead person files.

Ironwood let Oscar and Ruby roam about them.

“These are all over the place?” Oscar was saying in confusion.

Ruby leaned to the side of one to look at Ironwood. “What’s this got to do with us, sir?” She asked.

“A matter of national security.” Ironwood said.

That didn’t help.

“Wait, wait, wait…” Oscar stumbled, going between a few. “They’re all…!” He panicked.

“What is it, what?” Ruby was asking, going over to him in concern.

“Their eyes…” Oscar muttered.

Ruby frowned then looked harder. Then it hit her like a freight train carrying charged dust crystals.

They all had the same eye colour as she did.

A click from Ironwood and the display changed to a still from a security feed, showing several familiar faces.

“We believe they are targeting, you, Miss Rose. For reasons, I assume you know.” Ironwood told her.

Ruby immediately looked to Oscar when she felt his ire.

“But why go after them!” He hissed, strangled, and strained.

“Ozpin assumed it was to send the correct message.” Winter added.

Oscar growled in anger. Message received and understood.

Ruby stared at him. “No, this is you _angry_.” She said, somewhere between awe and trepidation then her eyes widened. “They got killed because of me!” She screeched.

“We also know that it gets worse.” Winter interjected.

Oscar could only whine.

The still photo was replaced with an Atlas police report.

Another civilian killed in broad daylight because of his eye colour.

Oscar’s face scrunched up in horror. The fact he didn’t know there was so many left, didn’t make him feel anything less than an accomplice.

_He should have known_.

“From this, we can gather they have infiltrated Atlas.” Ironwood stated.

“We have an idea that there is at least three,” Winter added, and with several tapping on her tablet, the projection showed up the Huntsmen ID of Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black, alongside the grainy still photo showing Neopolitan in her original form. “Are somewhat responsible or are the ringleaders. There are many others, as they have been caught on CCT while other murders in different Kingdoms have happened.” Winter reported.

Everyone watched as Oscar suddenly looked around the room, and paled.

“You don’t have Semblance blockers.” He muttered.

But they all heard.

Winter looked up from her device. “They exist out of theory?” She asked.

Even Ironwood looked surprised.

Oscar suddenly hissed through his teeth, and stalked around Ironwood, and slammed his fist down on the desk.

Something powered down around them, even if the projection screen was still up.

“Yes, they exist, and they exist because of them!” Oscar hissed as he pointed to the photos of the three hunting Ruby, and every other silver-eyed person in existence. “Ozpin has them set up around Beacon _because_ of them.” He added.

“Ah,” Ironwood sounded as if something suddenly made sense. “Which would be why he’s asked you and Miss Rose to return as soon as it’s safe to do so.” Ironwood said.

Whatever else he was going to say was interrupted by the fact the office doors casually opened, and in walked Qrow Branwen on his Scroll.

Everyone stared at him, and he looked up from his Scroll, looking absolutely befuddled in how he got to where he was. He stood for a second, then looked behind him equally confused.

“How in all seven hells did you walk all the way in here?!” Ironwood yelled.

Qrow looked back to Ironwood and scowled. “I was gonna say how, but now you’re yelling at me, I don’t quite feel like it. Maybe your security sucks if I can just waltz on in, Jim.” Qrow said in annoyance at being yelled at.

With one look to his Ace-Ops, all but Marrow and Clover saluted, and they were out the door with their weapons out.

“I still stand by if you were one of mine, I’d have shot you ages ago.” Ironwood reminded.

Oscar flinched. He remembered this conversation too well.

Qrow glared. “Your security sucks. I’m here because of my niece, not to be yelled at by you.” He hissed back.

“Whoa, whoa, okay, let’s calm down.” Clover started, coming over and patting Qrow on the back. “We don’t need to fight amongst ourselves, alright?” He added, looking from Ironwood in confusion, and to the newcomer with concern. “Just calm down, okay?” He asked.

Qrow stared at him in confusion, almost looked as if he couldn’t believe someone was touching him willingly who wasn’t a family member.

Ruby sidled up next to Qrow. “Hey, uncle Qrow. Did Ozpin send you?” She asked, wrapping her arms around his nearest arm.

Qrow’s automatic response was to ruffle her hair. “Yeah. But I might have left without getting the full picture. I might have panicked a little.” He told her.

They all heard Ironwood sigh loudly in annoyance.

“Qrow…” He grumbled.

Qrow raised his free hand in defence.

Ironwood just shook his head in disbelief. “Ozpin wants them back safely in Beacon, and I’m bound to make sure they get there. There’s been an attack on my soil, and I will deal with the informants we have here that are hunting those with Silver Eyes.” Ironwood stated.

It was kind enough to know that Ruby was getting booted from Atlas.

Winter looked from Qrow warily back to Ironwood.

“The best way to ensure their safety, is to make sure Ruby leaves.” Winter said, looking sparsely to apologise to Ruby for her bluntness.

Ruby just shrugged at that. If it meant fewer people died, so be it.

“How do we make sure we’re not just targeting those still at Vale?” Ruby asked.

Oscar sided his head. “Ozpin would have found a way. Especially now he knows they exist.” Oscar noted to her.

Ruby frowned. “He wouldn’t’ve known before this?” She asked.

Oscar shook his head. “ _I_ didn’t.” He answered.

Oscar easily ignored the few staring at him in confusion and looked back to Ironwood. “So, General, how to get us safely back to Beacon?” He asked instead.

“I need my Ace-Ops here to combat those hunting you,” Ironwood stated, making Marrow shrug. “So, Winter will take you home safely.” He looked to Qrow. “I assume you need to go back as well?” He asked.

Everyone heard Winter’s groan at that, overshadowed by Weiss stepping forward. “I’ll help too!” She volunteered.

Both Marrow _and_ Ruby whined at her.

“But Weiss!” They said in near-perfect sync with similar tones of panic.

Weiss glared at Ruby. “As if you know how to get out of here properly alive.” She hissed.

Ruby opened her mouth to reply, then closed it thoughtfully and mutely to glare at Oscar, while Weiss looked to Marrow pointedly and threw her tablet at him.

Marrow yelped and fumbled the tablet several times in panic before he was able to handle it safely.

“You know what to do.” She said simply, confusing everyone else.

Marrow just grinned happily and pocketed the device. “Happily.” He noted.

Ironwood eyed them. “Please don’t corrupt my men.” He advised.

Weiss just shrugged.

/

* * *

/

Oscar didn’t think the plane ride could get any more awkward, between how many times Winter and Qrow glared at each other.

Their safe window almost came and went because they were squabbling pettily, if it hadn’t been for Clover’s quick thinking and shoving Qrow into the plane so it could take off, the mission report Winter received an hour in, could have very well turned out to have been Ruby’s obituary.

Something Oscar knew well enough and hadn’t seen fit to release Ruby’s hand any time soon.

They somehow knew where Ruby was, and where the civilians and Huntsmen that carried the silver-eyed trait better than Ozpin and Ironwood collectively.

They had found someone who worked at the airstrip where they had taken off that had the trait and murdered them because of it.

And there was a high chance they knew they were headed off to Beacon, even with no flight path recorded at either places or anywhere.

The only thing Oscar could do was call upon his Scroll an unknown enlisting to send a warning to the only person he could think of that he could warn secretively.

_\- .... . -.-- / -.- -. --- .-- / .-- .... . .-. . / .-- . / .-- . .-. . .-.-.- / - .... . -.-- / -.- -. --- .-- / .-- .... . .-. . / .-- . / .- .-. . .-.-.- / - .... . / .--. --- ... ... .. -... .. .-.. .. - -.-- / .. ... / .-.. .- .-. --. . / - .... . -.-- / -.- -. --- .-- / .-- .... . .-. . / .-- . / .-- .. .-.. .-.. / -... . ---... / .--. .-. . .--. .- .-. . / ..-. --- .-. / ..- -. ..-. --- .-. . ... . . -. / -.-. --- -. ... . --.- ..- . -. -.-. . ... .-.-.-  
_ [ _/ -....- --- .--._ ](https://morsecode.world/m/eJxtjNENQEAQREUNCpgGKEATfGgAGWxc9tglF90j8SmZzMebvMmzougWXlg1JqSFRqQ3xgo_Q_9xbNFdBglyXBBH6G0mjp8nCQEDa7TG7bExRcOpT9NJxRjVuZ_UkV6hbNobW_szVA%3D%3D)

And as soon as he had sent it, it was gone from his device, and it would leave no trace anywhere as soon as Ozpin read it.

/

* * *

/

Oscar and Ruby weren’t alone in booking it out of the plane as soon as it landed at Beacon, Weiss was hot on their tails to get out of dodge of her sister’s glaring.

Ruby, as soon as she saw Ozpin, raced over to him, and before anyone could scold her, wrapped her arms around his middle. She heard and ignored the still surprised and somewhat scandalised gasps from every other older adult around her, and focused on the fact, giddily, that Ozpin wasn’t one of them.

“Hey, Oz,” She greeted thankfully and nuzzled into him in greeting.

She heard his puff of fondness at her, as much as she felt him pat her head.

“Hello, Miss Rose.” She heard him greet back, just as fond as previous, and never in scold.

She did wonder if he saw her as a daughter, why he still formalised her and her name.

Being a Rose regardless.

She would need to talk to Oscar about how to make sure he lost the formalities on her.

Father’s don’t formalise their daughters. It felt weird.

She pulled back after one last nuzzle, and he patted her head again, and let her go gently.

Ruby noticed that everyone else had come in closer.

“ _…persequeris_?” Ozpin seemingly asked.

Ruby frowned. That was a first to hear him speak like that.

Even more so when Oscar just _shrugged_ at him. “ _Fortasse_.” Oscar replied.

Ruby would have laughed at the fact Ozpin’s face scrunched up in dislike if she knew what they were saying in the first place.

Everyone else was on the same page as her, looking between the two comically and with confusion.

“ _Fortasse_?” Ozpin echoed, sounding, and _looking_ exasperated.

Oscar eyed him. “ _Utique_.” He said.

Ruby was going to throw up her hands if they started speaking in sentences.

“ _Quando_?” Ozpin nearly demanded thinly.

“ _Fortasse mox_.” Oscar hissed back.

Ozpin then pawed his nose and sighed.

“Oscar…” He mumbled, either highly strung, or annoyed.

“ _Nescio_!” Oscar immediately snapped back.

Ruby could feel he was panicking. And looking to Ozpin, she could see it in his eyes.

So much, that she grasped Oscar’s hand, and tugged on Ozpin’s sleeve.

“Okay, okay, enough fighting. Fight about this later? Inside first.” Ruby demanded.

They both immediately looking at her, blinking fast as if stunned, having been caught up in their own little world.

“Right…” Ozpin said and didn’t acknowledge the hand tugging at his sleeve incessantly or Ruby’s worried look aimed at them both.

Ruby knew perhaps a little more than the others did.

About why both Ozpin and Oscar were highly strung, nervous, and panicky to say things when they were outdoors, especially when _she_ was being hunted.

They were both worried because it was her. And even if magic didn’t exist anymore, it was because of _her_ she was still being hunted, and if she needed to guess further, she would guess they figured they were at fault in the first place at placing danger on her head for involving her in the first place all those years ago.

Back when she was unknowingly taking over the mantle of the Wizard’s Rose after her mother died.

It just cemented the fact that she needed to know the language more, especially if they were going to speak it constantly around her.

By the time they got back to Ozpin’s office, the two finally took a breath in relief, and as soon as they walked in, Ozpin strode over to his desk to hit a button, while Oscar went for another one.

“Okay, and…?” Weiss was muttering.

Ruby noted the warry look Winter kept giving Oscar when he moved. Qrow looked like he had just excepted his fate naturally to be confused.

“Where’s Glynda?” Oscar asked curiously.

“Monitoring for Semblances.” Ozpin replied.

Ruby almost did a jive at the fact they were using the language she understood.

“ _Ceteri_?” Oscar asked.

And there went Ruby’s happy mood at the easy transition on spoken languages into one she had no idea what they were saying.

“ _T_ _utum_.” Ozpin replied.

Oscar cocked his head. “… _et_ _Rubrum_?” He asked, cautiously.

Ruby was confused as to why Ozpin looked to her, then back to Oscar.

“ _Mea experiar, Parva Cervi_.” Ozpin said, sounding like it was a promise.

But it did look like Oscar glared at him at least in a little confusion for that last part.

“Okay, so…” Ruby tried awkwardly.

And before anyone could reply, a beeping noise went off at Ozpin’s desk.

“Ah, that would be your teams with our guests.” Ozpin said cheerfully.

Both Ruby and Weiss looked to each other nervously.

“Teams?” Ruby questioned.

Ozpin just grinned. “Teams.” He echoed happily.

Oh _no_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's funny because _~~"Parva Cervi" is his name.~~_


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yang leaves for a ten-minute break and the whole world goes nuts. Blake hates waking up at 5 AM, a Mood to be sure. Her parents have no idea how to Technology. Menagerie is like the Australian equivalent of Remnant, everything happens when we're asleep. Something wonky is happening and it rhymes with _Not Good_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...This chapter .... took awhile. Life happened, my shoulder decided to not let me write for an entire weekend, which sucked. Also, Team JNPR wasn't cooperating in writing. but you can thank my Discord Pals for the inspiration that made me write chapter 9 in its entirety.   
> Thanks, guys! May you forever hate the reason.
> 
> Also, Year of the Sea Shanties is amazing, and writing to _My Mother Told Me_ is great, ~~unless it's in the context of _The Reason._~~
> 
> The More You Know.

_Where you now? Wash away this day of hurt. But your bleeding scars remind you of that barricade. Tell me how you keep your focus and are intent, although the crowds’ memories must be decayed. Where you now? Have you stripped your spirit down? Cause we made you so, to be our lethal grenade? Hearts bruise easily. Won’t you please forgive yourself? So, sob bitterly in my arms. Just let go selfishly. You don’t have to feel your guilt, that you walk ahead of your hope. Some little ironies called tragedies so silently and you face their gravity in agony though. Don’t be afraid: there’s no curtain to call. No regrets are needed among the world of you and I. You know we have made every damn single mistake: That’s what it’s all about, the life we belong; the life we survive.  
Don’t be afraid, daybreak has come…_

_—[Eliana](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f38RN7X-mdk) (Eng) | [Aimer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN24W_psMpE) (Jap)_

_Other Music:_

_[Hiroyuki Sawano](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GptbdlNHPEw) — éXORCiST_

_[Kenji Kawai](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWCXgOGDdhc) — Final Mission: ~ Quantum Burst_

Chapter 8

“I’m going on my break!” Yang called through the office.

“Have fun!” Themis yelled back.

“When would I never?” Yang cheeked back.

Themis laughed, and waved her off.

When Yang first came to Mistral all those years ago, it didn’t seem very peaceful. Or maybe that was because there was a civil war breaking out on its doorsteps.

But semantics.

Some days, Yang wished she had more than ten minutes to her break. But at least she got to choose when she went on them.

She stared at her Scroll for a second, then decided it had been long enough since she called her sister.

“ _You have reached Ruby Rose! I have decided to not take your call right now. My bad? Leave a message? —Oscar, how do you do this?!_ ” Ruby’s voice came through, then the message bank beeping came as soon as Ruby finished screeching, presumably to an amused off-to-the-side Oscar.

Yang had to snort, because of course her sister was still socially awkward, even when there was no one to talk to.

“Hey, sis, just trying to catch up. Like, I know I’m _not_ Oscar, but I _was_ family first, yeah? Call me back, and I’ll actually _answer_ you.” Yang cajoled trying not to snicker happily.

It had been a long while since Yang had seen her sister. How long was it now? Going on a year maybe?

“Yang…! Yang!” Themis was yelling, a strain of panic in her voice Yang had never quite heard before now.

Yang immediately looked up to see Themis running out of the building. “What is it? What’s wrong?” She asked.

Themis doubled over to take a few breaths. “I think you need to see this. We have a problem.” Themis gasped.

Yang frowned.

Because, naturally, the whole world goes nuts in the ten minutes she was on break.

By the time Yang made it back inside, everyone on the police force seemed to be in a panic over something.

“Seriously. I was gone for ten minutes tops.” Yang muttered incredulously.

Themis ran over to the middle console, rapidly pressing buttons.

“Here!” Jade was yelling, tossing a pad to Yang, who saw Themis’ grabby hands and handed it over to her so she could plug it in.

“What have we got?” Themis was asking as Yang crossed arms.

Time to work, she could assume.

“We’ve got a lot of people dropping like flies, Ma’am,” Jade started, pulling up files from her own pad, and it appeared in the air around them. “Appearing from the far side of Vacuo, to Beacon’s doorstep.” Jade added, pulling up a map.

There on the map pointed out where and which each file corresponded to on it.

“So, they started in Vacuo?” Yang asked curiously. “If it’s on another continent, in another kingdom, why are we being told about it?” She asked.

It wasn’t like the other kingdoms to ask others for help.

“These orders come from On High.” Jade said.

Yang immediately looked at Jade. “From Ozpin and Goodwitch?” She immediately asked.

Jade blinked. “Know them?” She asked.

Yang nodded. “I trained under them at Beacon.” She elaborated.

Themis shrugged. “Yeah. That’ll do it.” She ushered.

Yang looked back to the people floating around them. She went back and forth between several trying to see the connection, what criteria the murderer was using to hunt these people down.

“So, it’s not because of Faunus traits…” Yang mumbled seeing the many different traits some had, and the humans mixed in.

She looked again.

Whatever the criteria they used, Yang couldn’t sus it out.

“Goodwitch has that covered.” Jade started. “She stated in her opening report, “That anyone with Silvereyes, anywhere will and could be at risk—what is with that _face_ you’re pulling, Yang?” Jade stalled.

Yang felt like her body was dropped into a frozen lake, and her world vision tumbled, tunnelling violently down into pinpricks.

“Yang?” Themis asked in concern.

Yang tried to swallow around the huge lump lodged in her throat she suddenly had.

“You—You said _anyone_ with silvereyes?” She asked mutely, and it sounded like it roared in her own ears.

Jade almost double-checked, as if she hadn’t just read the information from the file. “That’s the warning Goodwitch gave. Are you sure you’re okay?” She asked, trailing off in concern.

Both Jade and Themis looked at each other in concern. They had never seen their on-call Huntress loss her shit before, then rapidly contain it and throw back up her shields in front of them in mere seconds.

“I need to get to Vale. Now.” Yang ordered.

They heard the tone, and blankly and immediately saluted with no questions asked.

/

* * *

/

Blake hated morning call outs.

As much as she loved her liaison work with Menagerie for her parents.

There was never enough _wrong_ , to warrant a five in the morning call out.

Because the protocol demanded a type of schedule that never allowed Black to grab a morning coffee at five in the morning. …Not that the shops were open, but it would have been nice to swing by her own kitchen before she needed to be at a crime scene.

She felt like she was wearing too many clothes to be comfortable.

She would be way more comfortable in her bed.

You know, _asleep_. Which any sane person should be doing at five in the morning.

The sun wasn’t even up yet, or even making rays. The moon and its broken shards still dominated the sky.

It was depressing.

Blake groaned as she gave up trying to hand-comb her hair and pushed it behind her and she yawned.

She needed more sleep.

But she ducked under the police tape in any state, the poor teenager who was manning recognised her and waved her through his yawn.

Blake reckoned her parents would be coming soon, with this much fuss.

“What have we got?” Blake asked, trying not to give in to the temptation to rub her eyes.

She had to stare for a second when the police officer who rounded on her to speak, looked too much like Sun, before she rebooted her brain to remember Sun was with his team in Vacuo’s wastelands doing some recon or something for Theo.

“A murder, Ma’am.” Said Monkey Boy.

She stared at him tiredly.

Of course it would be.

“What do we know?” Blake tried to get the man to elaborate faster.

She didn’t mean to disrespect the dead, but they no longer needed sleep.

He gestured behind himself and stepped to the side, allowing Blake to see the deceased Faunus.

Blake cringed in sympathy.

It hadn’t been a peaceful way to die.

Their wings were torn from their back, feathers thrown everywhere, blood on their tips.

Blake muttered an apology as she kneeled down next to them to study further.

This type of murder was new and painful.

Blake looked back over her shoulder.

“Why the eyes?” She asked.

The man behind her perked up, letting out a small, confused hum.

Blake looked back to the deceased and pointed to the gutted eyes.

“It was deliberate.” Blake said.

With everything else, it seemed more done out of hate, with the intent to hurt. But the gutting of the eyes? That was deliberate and intentional.

“She was only fifteen…” Blake heard her companion mutter. “Her file states her eye colour was silver. That’s an odd colour to have.” He added.

Blake frowned. “Silver?” She echoed as she stood back up.

He nodded and handed his tablet over. She read it over.

The only other person she knew who had that trait was Ruby. And from what she could remember, it was a rare trait to have to begin with.

Everything about this scene made it look too convincing to be just a Hate Crime. Or even a Self-Hate Crime.

The eyes gave it away.

Blake mentally cursed the early hour; she couldn’t think back to whether or not either Oscar or Ruby ever said that people with the silver-eyed trait were hunted for it.

“Alright,” Blake started to order, and everyone in the vicinity saluted. “Tag and bag everything, I want it back and headquarters as soon as possible.” She ordered.

They saluted and started to tag and picture everything.

“It’s not a Hate Crime?” Her cop companion asked.

Blake shook her head. “Not with the eyes being gutted.” She muttered. “You have this under control? I need to speak to Head State.” She asked.

She watched as he paled but saluted just as quickly. “Yes, Ma’am!” He squeaked in fear for her father.

/

* * *

/

She rushed back to headquarters as fast as she could, she even took out _Gambol Shroud_ to make it up over the rooftops.

As soon as she was inside, she pulled up the registry for everyone on the island and filtered through their eye colour. Suddenly infinitely more grateful to the border crossing policies they had in place.

She only got two matches, one that was the deceased, and another that was very much alive.

Blake wasn’t about to take any chances.

“Ferret!” She called.

A bunny Faunus came streaking out of another room, eager and happy, despite the time. Blake heard rumours from her mother that Ferret never slept.

“Yes, Ma’am!” Ferret saluted.

Blake chucked a work pad at her. “Go to this address and pick up a male called Sterling Yin. I want him brought into protective custody on the count of a murder that happened this morning. Do not take a no for an answer. I don’t want another murder on my hands!” Blake ordered.

Ferret saluted again and was off like a shot.

/

* * *

/

Up behind security gates, that only allowed a certain level of key card and bio scan, Blake went to find her parents, who like Ferret, never seemed to sleep anymore. Blake was hoping she could get a secure Scroll line from their office to Ozpin, to ask if silver-eyed people were hunted, and if she was right in holding Yin safely, or if he could be let go with an apology for the early hour wake up call.

“Blake!” Called Ghira from, what looked like trying to hook up a pad to the conference table, with Kali looking extra amused at the failings of her husband.

Kali looked up and smiled.

“Be a dear, and help your father? He won’t let me on the account I will probably break it.” Kali said cheerily.

Blake just sighed and shook her head, went over to her father, and hooked up the tablet to the conference table.

There, appearing in the middle of the table, above their heads, was a list of files that quickly formed a map from Vacuo up to Beacon.

Blake frowned. “What am I looking at here?” She asked.

“We’ve had a direct communication with Beacon’s Headmaster overnight,” Here Blake blinked in surprise. “It comes with a warning about a series of mass killings.” Ghira said.

Surrounding the map was files of those deceased. The first from the Sands of Vacuo was pulled up when Kali pointed to it, to reveal a picture similar to that of what Blake had seen barely an hour ago.

“These poor dears are being murdered all over the place. They warned it could happen anywhere.” Kali said mournfully.

Blake looked at her. “You can add another file to this mess, the murder this morning was the same as these.” Blake said.

Kali gasped in fear. “But why just those with silvereyes? What have they ever done wrong? Some of these are children!” Kali said.

Blake didn’t think they needed to have done anything but have the eye colour they were born with.

Ghira looked up. “Then we best send it over to Vale…” He muttered, glaring at the tablet that Blake had.

She couldn’t laugh, but she sent the file off towards Goodwitch, who sent the original file somewhen last night, but probably yesterday, due to time-zones and all that good stuff that makes communication between Kingdoms a bit wonky. Blake frowned when it took a little longer but sent all the same.

“I sent it off to Goodwitch,” Blake informed, she could see her mother sighing in relief.

Ghira stood up. “I best see if there are any citizens who fit the criteria…” He said sounding tired.

Blake patted his arm as he passed her. “I already did. I got Ferret to go get him.” Blake said.

Both of them stared at her with confusion.

“How did you think to do that?” Ghira asked with a frown.

“I couldn’t remember if Ruby ever said she was hunted because of her eye colour, but I thought it best to be sorry, over having another murder.” Blake reminded.

She didn’t hold it against her parents for not remembering Ruby, after all, they had only met the girl no more than once back in Mistral. And that was a long time ago.

Ghira just nodded proudly. “Good work!” He praised.

The wall com went off.

“Hey!” Ferret yelled. “I got a guy here for protection detail?” She yelled.

Just at the same time Blake’s Scroll yelled and demanded attention that even Blake jumped in fright.

Ghira laughed. “I’ll deal with the Protection Detail. You deal with why your Scroll is yelling at you at six in the morning.” Ghira said cheerily as he passed.

Kali was giggling as well.

Blake could feel herself going a pale when she missed the call from Yang by seconds, only for Yang to ring her back as soon as the call cut out.

“Yang?” Blake called.

“ _Blake! I’m sorry if I woke you up, but I don’t know what to do!_ ” Yang was yelling.

Blake blinked in surprise, then frowned in concern. Yang yelled a lot, but her voice sounded panicky and worried at the same time.

“Yang, calm down, I can’t understand you if you’re yelling.” Blake said.

_Did she just sob_?!

Blake was worried and looked back up to the see-through map.

Didn’t Yang work for the Mistral Police?

Blake heard Yang stutter through a breath.

“ _It’s Ruby! I can’t get through to her!_ ” Yang tried to stay calm.

Blake nearly dropped her Scroll as what she heard made connections to the map she was seeing.

_Oh no_.

“Yang. Where are you, right now?” Blake demanded.

“ _I’m at Mistral — I need to… Ruby…_ ” Yang tripped over saying, her panic slowly rising back up.

“Do you know where Ruby is, right now?” Blake asked, waving off her mother, and making a hand signal for her to be quiet, the line was bad enough to hear Yang through as it was.

_“I don’t…? Maybe Vale? I don’t know! Maybe she went up to Atlas?_ ” Yang tripped.

The line was getting worse.

“Can you reach Oscar?” Blake asked.

_“No! I tried him_ and _Ozpin! I can’t get through to either, it was hard enough getting through to you! I had to try five times!_ ” Yang cried.

Blake frowned. Her Scroll had only gone off twice.

Blake went over to the tablet still attached to the conference table, to minimalize the map and pull up the schedule for the _Pride & Joy_. Blake didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the fact it was docked at Menagerie and leaving in a few hours for Mistral, then straight onto Vale.

“Okay, okay, Yang?” Blake called.

“ _I’m—here,_ ” Yang said, strained.

“We can get to Vale on the Captain’s _Pride & Joy_. It’s with me at the moment and it won’t long to get to you, then to Vale. Get down to Mistral’s docks, and I’ll see you there, okay? We’ll sort this out. I promise.” Blake said.

Blake could see even Kali heard Yang’s surprised gasp. “ _You’re coming?_ ” Yang asked her surprised coming through even the noisy static of the line.

“If you can’t get through to Ozpin, there might be a chance the files we sent through here might not get to him. So, we can call it a semi-social and work-related trip.” Blake said, seeing Kali’s thumps up in permission for her to leave.

There was a large bout of static that was loud enough that Blake pulled her Scroll away from her ear, and her cat ears folded away from the noise.

“Yang??” She questioned.

“ _Got it! See—you—there!_ ” Yang answered through static before the line gave out and died.

Blake paused to see that her CCT bars go from full to disconnected in a worrying second, before looking up to her mother.

“This is bad.” She said worriedly.

“And you need to leave, I’ll deal with your father. It sounds like your friends need your help.” Kali answered.

Blake nodded worriedly and ran out the door as fast as she could to get to the docks faster, to make sure she got on that boat.

She made a promise.

One that she didn’t intend to break.

Not with Yang.

Never with her.

Neither of them deserved it.

/

* * *

/

Blake jumped onto the ship’s deck, with a flip and a Shadow Jump with seconds to spare as the boat pulled from the port.

“Kid!” Yelled the captain in fright.

“Sorry! I needed to get on!” Blake yelled back in fright.

Had she been a second slower she would have been swimming with the fish and the aquatic Faunus.

The Captain’s ward came up to her, looking a little dishevelled and a panicked look in her eye.

“You could have called, and we would have waited!” She panicked.

Blake pulled up form leaning against her knees. “Would that have delayed the ship leaving?” She asked.

She blinked. “Well, naturally…!” She stuttered out.

“Not agreeable. I need to get to Mistral, then to Vale as quickly as we can.” Blake gasped.

Blake watched as the ward blinked, then sighed. “Come on, we’ll talk to Captain Trevor, and we’ll see what we can do.” She said through her sigh.

It might have taken Blake more than five years, but now she knew the name of the Captain.

She should probably work on getting to know the shipmate’s names too if she had less to worry about.

And she had already way too much to worry about.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I think by this point everyone should just take up glaring at shadows. Because this show has proven shit jumps out from them. Yikes. Remember when this story was calm? Can we go back to that? Nowhere is safe. Ozpin goes Dad!Mode and is more scared then angry. Caring gives Ozpin a headache. I have a headache over caring for these characters I swear. Yang nearly faceplants the floor, to no one's surprise. These people toss their Scrolls like I would never throw my phone in fear I'd break it. Ozpin is confusion and he needs hugs. Too much is happening makes Nemi go crazy. Oh look at that Ozpin finally gets the hug he Deserves. And he gives No Fucks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first point of call: Never takes dares. Because it ends up in marriage proposals, and twins! (Unless you're into that, then dare me, I dare you.) So, congrats on the dare that made US5 possible, then the dare that made the twins possible.  
> I, in no way shape or form, take any responsibility for them. If they turn out to be little shits? They're named after two little shits, what did anyone expect? X'D  
> But it's a huge honour for you to want to name then after the birbs. I will take responsibility for that. And I will forever try and honour that trust (and now I sound like Ozpin!)  
> But seriously, what is it with this story and creating babies? JTN's twins are the third. I have one at work and he refuses to be called anything but Oz, and not Oscar (HEY MOMMA RUBY! Hope your little shit is going well? ~~also please don't hurt me when you see me again~~ )
> 
> Secondly, if you haven't reread the first five chapters of US1, I highly suggest you take a reread of the rewritten chapters. For nightmare fuel, naturally. ~~and also to make sense of the incoming gravity of the situation. There will be stuff referenced that's now back-dated to those chapters. How they weren't there in the first place is a thing I will forever glare at my past self for. Because help me, I'm scared.~~
> 
> And spoilers: For those people still following along at home, Oz's cane in US does not behave like how it does in canon, (I'll leave that up to Oscar). But it originally stored time magic, when Remanant still had magic. It now stores nothing. I may look into it becoming what it is in the show. Because _damn, son._
> 
> A big thanks to my Discord!Pals, who have offered to help with this series as its surely been way too big for Blooming and me: your help and your support has probably given this story another at least 2 stories for me to confer and will into existence. So, if this series suddenly drops off the face of the earth, someone come find me.

_Darkness of white, you can: Through this sadness take your flight and become the wings that pierce the veil, spreading strong and true tonight. Brought into the light at last by the cold, exposing sun. Through the mirror, night reflected: Miraculous to see. Breaking the one divide: We reveal the other side, where despair and grace, they share a face. In this world, the sky is bright, but the wind cuts like a knife. What I seek is nothing more than a purpose to my life. Every trial cuts in deeper, the pain, dark ebony. Disappearing Fake Light: Be reborn a True Light, within these hands. Breaking the dark of night, piercing through the painted white. Cut it all away from yesterday. Till a new era’s in sight, unlock the heart within: Let it spread its wings and soar. Rising up in flight, through the night of white and fly on forevermore.  
  
[Small Eng. Ver](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL55k1mf8eY) | [Shunichi Miyamoto Ver](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heXVeHo1X7g) | [Amanda Lee Ver](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em9rkDVVoPc)_

_Other Music:_

_[Shawn Christmas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnVd_EasEIA) — The Champion _

_[10 Years](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPXUeeFXc90) — Wasteland_

Chapter 9

Jaune wasn’t sure what was worse.

Being on a mission for Ozpin.

_Or_ the fact he needed to investigate murders.

Because the man _had a hunch_.

He just sighed in resignation when Pyrrha once again tapped his shoulder.

“Again?” He asked tiredly as he looked at her.

Pyrrha had stood walking and looking the way they had come.

Nora had her hands on her hips, grumpy-looking towards Ren, who looked so vexed he had stopped walking for the tenth time in the past hour.

“Ren! Seriously! There’s nothing there!” Nora complained.

Again.

Ren turned to her, a frown on his face, but again, he consented to keep walking.

By now it wasn’t just Nora worried about Ren.

Jaune was a little more worried about the consequences Ozpin and Goodwitch would give them if they kept up this pace.

Never in his life had he seen Ozpin look outside of neutral.

But this time he looked pale with worry.

Ren gave the roof one more glare and made his way back to them.

Nora grabbed his hand and moved faster to catch up.

Jaune just sighed in vexation.

“As much as I want to stop and look, Ren…” Jaune said.

Ren just nodded, gave a wary look to the roof, but didn’t say anything else.

/

* * *

/

Jaune wasn’t sure if he was glad or not that Ren hadn’t stopped again on their way to the murder scene they were asked to investigate.

But now he was the one who had chills going up and down his spine.

He looked to Pyrrha worriedly, who shrugged in confusion.

She didn’t know what was wrong either.

And it wasn’t like they could call up Goodwitch and explain it felt like they were being stalked by something they couldn’t see.

By the time they reached the representative of the VPD, Jaune was trying not to paw at his forehead for the monotone the guy spoke in while keeping an eye on Ren, who seemed to have taken up glaring at one of the rooftops.

Jaune let the guy talk into one ear and out the other tiredly.

“Sir. Can we see the body now?” Pyrrha asked, way too polite for the time.

The man just stared at her but allowed them through.

They walked into a live crime scene, that was straight out of the reports they had seen floating up in Ozpin’s office.

Straight down to the gutted eyes.

An uncomfortable feeling settled into Jaune.

“Have you ID’ed her?” Jaune asked as he turned to the representative.

The man nodded.

“Her name was Grace Silver. For the life of me, I can’t understand the knife to the eyes…” He muttered.

Jaune made a motion for him to give over the information on the deceased as Pyrrha kneeled down next to the teen.

Such a violent death would never allow her spirit to rest.

Jaune looked over the information on Silver.

He found it hard to swallow at why her eyes were gutted.

They had been silver.

And she had been way too young.

Pyrrha was the one to do the rites, and settle the body bag around the girl, Ren dealt with the parents, Nora was slowly losing the goodwill she had in her to see the representative’s words fly over her head.

While Jaune pulled out his Scroll and called Goodwitch.

“ _Mister Arc?_ ” Goodwitch called once she picked up.

“Deceased was called Grace Silver; I’ll send over her information. Her eyes were gutted, like the rest.” Jaune reported.

He heard her pained sigh. “ _Thank you for going, Mister Arc. I’ll put her file on the map. Will you be returning soon?_ ” She asked.

Jaune noted Pyrrha returning to him, Ren handing the parents over to the VPD, and dragging a very dissatisfied Nora back towards him.

“We’ll head back now.” Jaune answered.

“ _Thank you, Mister Arc_.” She answered, then the line dropped.

He looked back to his team, sorrow lining his face. “C’mon guys. Let’s head back.” He muttered.

/

* * *

/

There had never been any type of fanfare walking into Ozpin’s office.

But now it seemed like every steep was lined in sorrow.

Like every piece on the blue-hued map that floated in the middle of the room represented a sorrow that etched into the very fabric of the tower.

It was an old sorrow that hadn’t healed with time, and one they really didn’t understand.

But they felt swamped in it, nonetheless.

As they entered, they saw their case was already added to the map.

They saw the stare Ozpin had, and the worried glance Goodwitch greeted them with.

It never quite hit them how old Ozpin actually remembered being, until it came out forcibly like this.

Of how much sorrow the man held weighted on his shoulders.

“What can we do now?” Pyrrha asked in concern.

“We need to figure out how they keep finding victims and stop them.” Ozpin stated as he stood up and rounded his desk.

Jaune wondered if the man paced like Oscar had done when they first met him.

Nora cocked her head.

“There isn’t like…a, what do you call them? A registry for identification that would have eye colour in them?” Nora asked.

Goodwitch blinked and looked to Ozpin, who looked thoughtful.

“That would be somewhat true for Huntsmen and Huntress’, but it doesn’t key down eye colour in any database, just the photo.” Ozpin started.

“The only registry I can think of that would have that much information stored at any one time, would be at the immigration office over at Menagerie. But that information is only held while a person is _in_ Menagerie.” Ozpin explained.

It would explain if there were any deaths in Menagerie, and with a glance towards Menagerie on the see-through map, they had _none_. And with the time differences, no one was probably even awake to receive the information.

Jaune frowned.

“Then how do they find them?” Jaune asked.

He noted that even Ozpin looked confused by this.

“I wish I knew.” He muttered.

Pyrrha took a step forward.

“What about Ruby?” She asked.

They watched as Ozpin immediately looked up to her, at Ruby being mentioned.

“Is she okay?” Pyrrha continued to say worriedly.

Ozpin nodded.

“She is at Atlas, currently.” Ozpin answered.

With a glance at the map. Atlas was safe so far.

There was a beeping, and a file appeared, and it traced to Menagerie.

“Who placed it?” Ozpin immediately asked.

Goodwitch pulled the file up. “The Belladonna’s. But it’s only half here?” She asked.

System glitch in transference. Over the distance, it was never reliable.

But they knew now they had made it over the sea.

Atlas didn’t seem so safe anymore.

Goodwitch didn’t even need to see the worried glance Ozpin gave her before she had placed the call to Ironwood directly.

“ _Ozpin?_ ” Ironwood answered.

“Do you have Miss Rose and Oscar with you?” Ozpin was asking.

They all heard the panic as much as they saw it cross over the man’s face.

They all heard the confused hum Ironwood gave out.

“ _Do we?_ ” Ironwood seemed to ask, not so much of them, but whoever was in his office.

“ _Yes sir. They’re with my sister_.” Winter Schnee’s voice announced.

“ _I have them in Atlas. What’s this about? The map you sent…? There have been no murders here._ ” Ironwood stated.

“It’s not just here, James. We’ve got one in Menagerie.” Ozpin announced.

“ _It’s not on my map_.” Ironwood replied.

They could hear the frown appearing on the old general’s face, even without seeing him.

They did see the worried glance Ozpin shared with Goodwitch.

“At any sign, one! I want her home, do you hear me, James?” Ozpin suddenly ordered.

They nearly jumped to saluting at hearing the steel in his voice.

“ _At the moment I hear about it._ ” Ironwood promised.

And then the line dropped out.

Ozpin rubbed his forehead as if to ward off a headache.

“If they are truly after her, and they’re killing because of her. How can you protect those who are here with the trait that we don’t know about?” Goodwitch asked.

“You don’t know how they’re being targeted.” Pyrrha pointed out.

Ozpin looked directly at Goodwitch, and she didn’t take a second before snapping to attention at it.

“I want a mandated call out from the VPD, calling them either to their nearest station for protective custody until we can figure out how to stop this.” Ozpin ordered.

Goodwitch immediately nodded and set out to email the VPD.

./.

Ozpin wasn’t the only one to jerk in surprise when his tablet rang out.

“Theo?” He called, completely confused by the sudden call.

“ _Oz!_ ” Called the easy-going headmaster of Vacuo. “ _I’m sending over a two-man cell who have worked the case from the get-go. They have a lead on how they’re being targeted, and wanna see the cases you’ve got in person._ ” He said breezily as if talking about the weather.

Ozpin perked up at the idea of having a lead. “When will they be here?” He asked.

“ _Eh…_ ” The man hummed, they couldn’t see him, but they swore they heard the so-so hand motion in action. “ _An hour? Two?_ ” He answered. “ _They’ll ping you, won’t they, to allow an aircraft in? That’ll be them. I’ll send their files over!_ ” He said, then happily ended the call.

Goodwitch just sighed in resigned vexation at how Theo got to be where he was. But she was grateful to see the file he promised to send over was suddenly in her inbox.

/

* * *

/

Ozpin wasn’t surprised to see Yang Xiao Long suddenly burst her way through his elevator.

“Oz!” She cried as she nearly fell on her face, only to be rescued by Blake. “Whoa!” She yelped with fright.

“Yang!” Nora cheered.

Yang stumbled back to standing with Blake to help her.

“Oh, you guys are here too…?” She breathed.

Pyrrha nodded.

“Are you okay?” She asked.

Yang nodded and took a few panicky steps towards Ozpin.

“…Ruby? Is Ruby…?” She panted, then needed to brace herself on her knees to breath.

“Miss Rose is currently safe at Atlas.” Ozpin told her gently.

Yang’s shoulders slumped in relief.

“Atlas is the only kingdom that doesn’t have a breach. I promise you; Ironwood has orders to bring her back at the first sign.” Ozpin told her.

Yang nodded in relief.

“Miss Belladonna?” Goodwitch started.

Blake perked up and looked at Goodwitch.

“Ma’am?” Blake replied.

“Did you bring the Menagerie file with you? We only got half of it.” Goodwitch asked.

Blake nodded and tossed her Scroll.

“We had CCT communications errors between me and Yang, who was at Mistral at the time. As I left Menagerie, the entire web there went down.” Blake added.

Ozpin frowned and walked around his desk.

“Odd…” He muttered in confusion.

“I tried calling you from Mistral, and to both Oscar and Ruby to see what was going on. I couldn’t get through; my Scroll couldn’t even pick up a signal. I _barely_ got through to Blake after, like, five times of trying.” Yang said.

They watched as the man looked from his screens up to the massive machine cogs moving about their heads searchingly.

Then back to them.

“How are you Scrolls now?” He asked.

Yang shrugged and pulled hers out. “Full bars.” She noted, then pressed redial.

And waited.

“ _The number you have tried to call is currently not in-service range. Please hang up and try again._ ” Came the automated female voice.

“…That’s calling Blake. Who’s standing next to me.” Yang added as she pointed her thumb over to Blake.

Blake had her Scroll out, with full bars, and her Scroll had no recognition Yang had tried to call her.

Yang paused at seeing Ozpin suddenly look fearful.

So much she shivered in alarm.

But he wasn’t looking at her, or the cogs above his head that seemed to grind towards a slow halt.

She followed his gaze to the map.

Atlas had a file ping.

Suddenly there were too many things happening at once.

The cogs slowed down.

The Atlas file mounted more evidence.

Suddenly amongst all of that was Vale control telling Ozpin that there was an incoming airship from Vacuo asking permission to land, as well as permission needing granting for a flight check inbound from Atlas.

_As well_ , Ozpin’s personal Scroll suddenly lighting up that he forced himself to look at.

_\- .... . -.-- / -.- -. --- .-- / .-- .... . .-. . / .-- . / .-- . .-. . .-.-.- / - .... . -.-- / -.- -. --- .-- / .-- .... . .-. . / .-- . / .- .-. . .-.-.- / - .... . / .--. --- ... ... .. -... .. .-.. .. - -.-- / .. ... / .-.. .- .-. --. . / - .... . -.-- / -.- -. --- .-- / .-- .... . .-. . / .-- . / .-- .. .-.. .-.. / -... . ---... / .--. .-. . .--. .- .-. . / ..-. --- .-. / ..- -. ..-. --- .-. . ... . . -. / -.-. --- -. ... . --.- ..- . -. -.-. . ... .-.-.-  
_ [ _/ -....- --- .--._ ](https://morsecode.world/m/eJxtjNENQEAQREUNCpgGKEATfGgAGWxc9tglF90j8SmZzMebvMmzougWXlg1JqSFRqQ3xgo_Q_9xbNFdBglyXBBH6G0mjp8nCQEDa7TG7bExRcOpT9NJxRjVuZ_UkV6hbNobW_szVA%3D%3D)

Ozpin knew who sent it and knew from a glance what the message said.

And as soon as he read it, it was gone from his Scroll.

And not just his Scroll, but everything in the _room_ stopped working.

“Aw hell, now we’re trapped in here?” Nora grumbled, then suddenly lit up and looked to Jaune eagerly. “Does that mean I can smash some walls?!” She asked beseechingly.

Ren just sighed.

“Not the time, I think, Nora.” Pyrrha reminded.

Ozpin stared at his blackened Scroll.

“I need you to go greet the two from Vacuo and bring them back here.” He asked blankly.

Yang stepped forward. “But what about Ruby!?” She asked fearfully.

Ozpin looked at her. “I got a message from Oscar. They’ll be here soon. I’ll get them.” He replied.

That got Yang to salute, and it made everyone else comply.

Oscar had told him to prepare for any consequence.

They already had them.

Suddenly the CCT network was down, or at least sporadically working in such a manner Oz dared not rely on it with any hope it would be accurate at all.

He wasn’t sure he had enough hope left that the two from Theo could solve the issue on how to connect how they found the SEW before he could when he had decades to try and fail at.

But he wasn’t about to let Oscar’s warning go cold.

“Miss Xiao Long,” He called.

They all stalled to look back at him.

“Be careful. There’s no way of saying that they won’t be after all of you as well.” Ozpin warned.

Yang nodded, and they all squeezed into the elevator which miraculously still worked.

Goodwitch looked to Ozpin. “How long until Miss Rose is here?” She asked.

Ozpin chucked his Scroll, now useless to him, onto his desk. But he walked over to the elevator to recall the lift.

“I can only guess soon.” He answered.

/

* * *

/

With Theo’s two-man cell coming in from Vacuo, it would take the Westside port to land.

So, Ozpin headed for the Northside port of Beacon to receive the inbound aircraft from Atlas. The closest Beacon had for inbound from Atlas.

He stalled and frowned seeing a shadow over the balustrade, but looking in its direction, the shadow moved off as if it wasn’t there.

“Sir?” Goodwitch questioned, looking as well.

“We still have the Semblance blockers up?” He asked.

Goodwitch checked.

“They’re holding, sir. They don’t require a CCT signal.” Goodwitch said.

Ozpin gave the archway another glance, before he moved on, guarded.

He knew what it felt like to be hunted by darkness and shadow by now.

Ozpin felt himself sigh in relief when he saw the Atlas plane come into view.

She was safe.

He would make sure of it.

But what he couldn’t help but be amused at, was that as soon as the plane docked and the door opened: both Oscar and Ruby booked it, with Weiss in a close third.

He was a little surprised to see Winter and Qrow walking down the ramp, still bickering like children.

Ozpin couldn’t help the emotional bubble that rose in his stomach painfully at the fact that Ruby stalled and searched for something, only to light up happily as soon as she saw him.

For her to race over to him and without needing permission wrapped her arms around him safely.

Ozpin didn’t need to know every other adult in the vicinity was scandalised that she had sought him out, had _hugged_ him so personally.

But he couldn’t help but deflate, all his anxiety and fear just leaving his shoulders as soon as he knew she was safe.

“Hey, Oz…” She mumbled into him softly as she _nuzzled_ into him, as a greeting.

Ozpin was helpless to give in, the bottled emotions that built in his stomach releasing as a huff coloured in paternal fondness, as he ran one hand into her hair gently.

“Hello, Miss Rose.” He greeted, just as fond as previous.

He would never scold her.

But he wouldn’t presume he could drop calling her by her last name, without approval.

Without knowing he wasn’t putting her in danger.

Ozpin bottled up the upcoming huff when she nuzzled back into him, even if this one was more confused than it was welcoming. But he returned the gesture she was familiar with, another pat on the head. He didn’t dare return the hug until he had permission he could.

It hurt when she pulled away, but he let her go. Even if he didn’t want to.


End file.
